A vicar and ordinand have conquered the mountainous challenge of running four uphill marathons in four days to help raise vital funds for their church roof.

Revd Dr Nick Widdows and ordinand Rob Argall have seen nearly £40,000 in donations since completing the gruelling challenge in high temperatures at the end of May.

Photograph from Vicars Vs Everest Instagram account @vicarsvseverest

The fundraiser was created after Rob discovered the elevation between the two Anglican churches in St Ives is 89 metres – so running it 100 times, was calculated to be the equivalent of running up Mount Everest from sea level to its peak, about 8,849m.

Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall afterwards, Revd Dr Nick Widdows, said he was ‘deeply fatigued’, stating day two of running was ‘pretty hard’.

The pair described how the town had been so busy they had to dodge holiday makers as they ran up the hill.

Rob told BBC Cornwall the sponsored running event had been ‘amazing’ and said he had been ‘visualising the moment of finishing, but also trying to stay in the moment and keep going’.

The two clergy also acknowledged the church and community for their support and had received some ‘incredibly generous donations’.

An Instagram account, which was set up especially for the run, saw many positive comments full of support including, ‘Absolutely awesome guys’, ‘Well done vicars vs Everest!’ and ‘So proud of you boys’.

They have both been training since January for the challenge to help raise money towards the £400,000 repair bill for St-Johns-In-The-Fields Church roof.

There is still time to donate by visiting https://www.stiveschurch.org.uk/donate and using the reference: ‘Everest’.

To hear the pair on BBC Radio Cornwall visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0np9sb0