Local runner, UK Athletics coach and Community sports activator Paul Lewis loves a challenge.

When he’s not spending time coaching members of the local community, the 49-year-old is taking on his very own running challenges.

Paul, from Upper Road, Plaistow, said coaching and running gives him pride to pass on his “nature of passion for running” to those looking to start off in the sport.

“It’s great to see such a big change in people, not just physically, but with their mental health and confident as well,” he said of coaching.

Training in long distance since he was a teenager, Paul’s latest challenge was running a circuit around the Island of Jersey using coastal roads and cliff paths to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Channel Islands and VE Day on Friday, May 8. He finished the run in a time of 22 hours and 41 minutes for the British Red Cross.

“I come from Jersey originally and the liberation means a lot in the community so I thought about it and realised I can run 100 miles round the island, so just went for it.

Paul’s next challenge is to run the equivalent height of Mt. Everest and back, in Stratford on June 8.

Visit justgiving.com/teams/ultra to donate to the British Red Cross.