SPEC-TACULAR EFFORT: STAFF at Specsavers in Huntingdon literally went the extra mile – running the equivalent of a marathon on a treadmill.

The team at the High Street opticians were supporting their colleague, who is running the real London Marathon later this year.

Optometrist Lesley Coles, together with businessman Ross Paterson, will be running in aid of Sue Ryder Cancer Care and VICTA, the charity for visually impaired children.

Specsavers held a variety of fundraising activities over the Easter weekend to help raise money for Lesley, including face painting, an in-store Easter egg hunt for customers, as well as store staff completing the marathon distance on the treadmill.

Store director Zuher Gulamhusein said: “We’re delighted to be supporting both Lesley and Ross. Running the marathon is an extremely hard challenge and requires strength and determination.”

Lesley said: “We chose the charities we wanted to fundraise for at the start of the year, based on their connection with the job we do at Specsavers. The chosen charities perform truly life-changing services and we’re delighted to be supporting the important work they do.”