Wigan headteacher completes 24-hour fancy dress challenge for final fund-raiser

Andy Highton has been at Shevington Vale Primary for 10 years and will be moving on to pastures new at the end of the school year.

He wanted to raise money for the school’s PTA to help fund a big trip for all the pupils he is leaving.

So he decided to run two or three laps of the school field every hour for 24 hours, changing into a different costume each time.

Mr Highton said: “We did our first run last year – we essentially wanted to do a 10k from school but there was difficulty around road closures and things.

"It became a sort of plan B, where we would just keep a baton going around the field, with the intention of covering as much mileage as it would be to walk to Paris for the Olympics that year. It’s gone bigger and bigger from that.

"It was ridiculously hot and I probably wasn’t wise with some of my costume choices throughout the day either.

“Some of the costumes were Power Rangers, Cool Runnings, Bananaman, Captain America, a whoopie cushion and loads of inflatable ones. The more ridiculous, the better they seem to go down.”

Mr Highton was cheered on by parents, pupils and volunteers during his challenge and was visited by Wigan Athletic mascot Crusty the Pie, Port Vale footballer Ryan Croasdale and Wigan Warriors player Rachel Thompson.

To boost donations, Mr Highton, who supports Everton FC, said if he hit £1,000 he would do his final lap in a Liverpool shirt, which he did.

He added: “After running the laps, I’d sit down in the shade, have a drink, get changed into the next costume and go again.

"In the middle of the night, I managed to get a 90-minute sleep window either side of each costume.

"The vibe of the day was absolutely brilliant.

"I’m a big Everton fan so I knew I’d drum up some extra funds by offering to do it in a Liverpool shirt. I came into work and there were already two or three on my desk, so there was no chance of getting out of it.”

Donate at gofund.me/df27d05b.