Vernon Kay breaks down in tears as he smashes ultramarathon challenge in Bolton - raising incredible amount for charity
17.11.2023 - 11:01
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
It was a tear-jerking finale to BBC star Vernon Kay's epic Ultra ultramarathon challenge - as he entered his home town of Bolton to huge cheers. Vernon was in tears as he completed the gruelling 116 mile route from Leicester to Bolton over the course of four epic days and learnt he'd raised £4MILLION so far.
And BBC Radio 2 listeners flooded social media to say they were in tears too after following his challenge over the past week. Thousands and thousands of messages of support have flooded in for Vernon, many saying he has "brought the whole nation together" with his efforts for BBC Children in Need.
He arrived in Bolton just after 9.30am on Friday, before running into the Bolton Wanderers football stadium at 10am to be greeted by cheerleaders, a brass band and a huge crowd of fans who had applied to be there to see him cross the finish line. Pudsey Bear also whooped and cheered his arrival.
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Vernon's mum and dad, Gladys and Norm, and family and friends were also in the audience to cheer him on. And Vernon was in tears as he hugged them at the stadium, although wife Tess Daly had posted she was "absolutely gutted" not to be at the finish line due to filming Strictly Come Dancing in Blackpool.
On Friday, Vernon set off just before 7am from Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester to undertake his final leg to his home town of Bolton. Despite his tired limbs and aching knees strapped up with bandages he jogged through Salford, on to Walkden, through Little Hulton and on through Middlebrook.
There was huge excitement at Vernon's former school, St