Kevin Sinfield saluted in Saddleworth as he raises another £1 million in latest challenge

KEVIN Sinfield has run home to Saddleworth for Christmas and given a million more reasons why he is a national hero.

The rugby league icon, now the England rugby union side’s skills and kicking coach, completed the final leg of his ultramarathon challenge – one which he may not have started at all after tearing a muscle 10 days before the start.

As he and his team completed his 230-mile run at Grasscroft’s Farrars Arms, the spot where fundraising in the name of friend and former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow began in 2020, the total ticked past the £1 million mark for motor neurone disease charities.

Now as he takes a well-earned rest after ‘just going for a run with some mates for a mate,’ the 44-year-old admits his pal – who passed away in June after living with MND for four-and-a-half years – was with him.

As he stood in the middle of Oldham Road, with Storm Darragh trying its worst – bringing what he described as ‘typical Saddleworth weather’ – Sinfield said: “Since Rob got diagnosed it’s taught me that it’s important to take some risk – be uncomfortable and be vulnerable and, yeah, that’s what we had to do.

Kevin at the finish line with his wife Jayne. Image by GGC Media

“I understood that at some point it could go wrong and I could end up having to stop, but as I said… you’d have had to chop my leg off for that.

“The families we met, the stories we heard – the fight, the inspiration, the willingness to stand together to fight MND – has been wonderful wherever we’ve been.

“I’ve run up and down this hill a few times – this is where it all started, where we set out on the first lot of marathons for Rob, so to finish back here on challenge five is very special for us all.

“We know why we’re here. We’re really passionate about the MND community and Rob Burrow.

Leeds Hospital Charity volunteers at the finish line. Image by GGC Media

“Keep looking after people.”

As the amount donated approached £1 million, it went into seven figures shortly after the finish, former Premier League footballer Marcus Stewart – who lives with MND and is a regular visitor to Saddleworth – was on hand to welcome Sinfield home after he started Saddleworth’s Santa Dash down the road in Uppermill on Saturday, December 7.

He was joined at stages by Manchester United legend and Saddleworth resident Paul Scholes, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Coronation Street stars Daniel Brocklebank and Peter Ash – whose character Paul Foreman lived with MND.

And he was given one last reason why he did it in Dobcross-based Dwayne Wells, who was diagnosed with MND three weeks after his wedding last year.

The challenge, which saw Sinfield and his team run more than 50 kilometres a day for seven days in different parts of the UK, was not without its bumps.

Day one saw them not make the ferry, day two nearly included a missed flight.

Ahead of the final leg – which culminated with runs from Waterhead ARLFC to Delph’s Old Bel Inn before looping around the village and through Dobcross, Diggle and Uppermill before ending in Grasscroft – Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said in a video message that Sinfield’s efforts were “almost unbelievable in terms of the endurance, the commitment, the dedication” to “such an important cause”.

He added: “By what you’re doing, that vital research can be done so that other people can benefit hugely from what you’re doing.”

As he made it home, hundreds of people – many of whom had travelled from Yorkshire – braved awful conditions and saw home welcomed with a huge hug from wife Jayne.

After heading upstairs at the Farrars Arms for a well-earned shower, he was joined by his team, family, friends, charity representatives and supporters – including Scholes and Stewart – at the pub.

And owner Rob Norbury, who has supported the MND Association in various ways, admitted: “Honestly, it’s unreal.

“In this challenge, I watched him every morning hobbling at the start then by the finish, he was galloping.

“I was I was like that. I don’t look like that when I’ve ran two miles, never mind 26.

“When Kevin first started from here four years ago, I definitely wouldn’t have thought it would get as big as it is now.

“He just asked me if he could use the Farrars as it’s a good base. They could get themselves set then run 26 miles in a morning!

“I’d watch him set off and come back and not look any the worse for wear. After that w

“It’s just crazy and we’re just happy to help in our own little way – and with Marcus, it’s like supporting one of our own.

“It’s a horrible thing but in some ways it’s great for him to have the support around here and be so close to Kev and people like that.

“When he comes up here, his support network is as big as when he’s down south.

“Seeing Kevin finish here was massive for the area but what he did all over the country was massive. For us to be the end point was huge.

“We hope we can support the causes over the coming months, as we have for the past few years.”

Before crossing the finish line, Sinfield sent more than 2,600 Santas on their way around Saddleworth, one of whom was Dwayne, whose family is raising trying to raise the £50,000 needed for vital adaptations to his home.

And as his mother-in-law Justine Theaker put it: “He’s a hero for everybody.

“Without the research, there’s no hope. At least now there is some. This wouldn’t have happened without the fundraising and more people knowing about it.”