A SEAT-HOPPING clergyman managed to sit on more than 3,000 seats at St James' Park yesterday - without getting cramp or reaching for the magic sponge.

The Reverend David Tully, honorary chaplain at Newcastle United, sat on 3,124 seats during 90 minutes - with a half-time break for a pie and Bovril, of course.

Mr Tully was taking part in the Sports Chaplains Challenge, a nationwide seat-sit supported by sports charity Score, which aims to raise more than £100,000 to encourage chaplaincy to get involved at all levels of football.

Following his efforts, Mr Tully said: "It is normally the players who have to work hard in the stadium, but today it was my turn.

"Doing this challenge inside St James' Park has really given me a buzz.

"Of course, the most important thing is that it is for a terrific cause, and I had to be at my fittest and sharpest to achieve the biggest total of seats I could."

Earlier this season, Radio Newcastle's Joe Morrison managed to sit on all 52,226 seats in the stadium for Children in Need.