Roy, a retired GP who used to work at Wigan Infirmary, and retired biomedical scientist Judith do everything together – and now they are taking part in a run from John O'Groats to Land's End for Cancer Research UK.

But instead of running together, the Latics season ticket holders pass each other as they head in opposite directions.

Running seven to eight miles each day, Judith drops Roy off at the day's starting point and then drives to the end of the day's desired distance.

The two then run past each other and once Roy finishes he jumps in the car and drives back to pick up Judith. They set off on January 29 in the cold of the Scottish winter and have covered the 500 mile mark of their epic 915 mile journey.

They complete two weeks of daily running and then have a week off to go home before starting up again at their last point.
Roy, who ran through Wigan last week, had a chance meeting with former Mayor John O'Brien.

Roy, who once worked at Wigan Infirmary as a GP advisor to the NHS trust, said: "Once Judith and I retired I think our friends and family expected us to just put our feet up.

"We'll get to that sometime I'm sure, but exercise protects you from so many diseases, including cancer, and I hope we will show people of our age that they can do something like this if they want to, and are well prepared."

The couple were inspired to take on the mammoth challenge for Cancer Research UK by the death of Roy's sister, Joan, from ovarian cancer in 2005.

To help with the fund-raising, they have set up their own appeal called 1c2c, which stands for One coin to Curing Cancer.

Their website, www.1c2c.org, features an in depth look at the run, photos of the couple, a biography on their lives and a blog on their day to day adventures running across the country.

Judith, 54, said: "We have both seen through our work the terrible
devastation that cancer can bring to both patient and family alike, and we wanted to help research, because it is surely time a cure for cancer was found."

Roy, 59, added: "One in three of us will get cancer, and one in four of us will die from cancer.

"If this was any other disease, there would be an outcry, but for various reasons, that never seems to happen.
"The Government puts very little money into research, and leaves it to the charities so it is up to everyone to help."

The couple, who live in Chorley, have raised more than £8,000 so far and are due to finish their journey at Land's End in August.
For more information, and to donate, visit their website.