Kevin Sinfield was joined by former world champion athlete Steve Cram on day two of his Ultra 7 in 7 challenge in aid of Motor Neurone Disease which finished in Otterburn.

Cram teamed up with Sinfield during the closing stages of his second leg from Melrose in the Scottish Borders to Otterburn Castle.

Sinfield is bidding to run around 40 miles for seven consecutive days to raise £777,777 for five MND charities.

The 42-year-old set off from Otterburn Castle this morning (day three) and will run over 41 miles to Durham County Cricket Club in Chester-le-Street, stopping off at Tomahawk Steakhouse just outside of Ponteland, Newcastle Falcons and St James' Park.

The former Leeds Rhinos captain has been inspired by close friend and ex-team-mate Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with MND in late 2019, plus former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir and ex-Bradford City skipper Stephen Darby, who also live with the disease.

Trevor Cessford, civic head for Northumberland County Council, met and spoke to Sinfield when he arrived at Otterburn Castle yesterday afternoon.

Cllr Cessford described him as a "remarkable man", adding: "Even though he was well ahead of schedule for the second day running, he was not even breathing hard.

"He stopped to talk to lots of people."

The Northern Echo: Civic head of Northumberland County Council Trevor Cessford meeting Kevin Sinfield at OtterburnCivic head of Northumberland County Council Trevor Cessford meeting Kevin Sinfield at Otterburn (Image: Trevor Cessford)

By around 8am on Tuesday afternoon, Sinfield had raised £341,560.77, according to his Give as you Live donation website.

He is scheduled to finish his Ultra 7 in 7 challenge on Saturday on the Old Trafford pitch at half-time during the men’s Rugby League World Cup final between Australia and Samoa.

His latest fundraising challenge will mainly benefit the MND Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity’s appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds.

There will also be donations to MND Scotland, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation and the 4ED campaign, in support of former Gloucester and Leicester rugby player Ed Slater, who was recently diagnosed with the disease.

In late 2020, Sinfield raised £2.7million for MND charities after running seven marathons in seven days and a further sum in excess of £1m was generated in November 2021 after he completed a run of 101 miles in 24 hours.