FRIENDS who met as teenagers in the 1990s have raised more than £2,000 for a Skipton charity by completing their first marathon together.

Nathan Metcalfe from Skipton and Adam Gillard from Kildwick completed The Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon on Sunday May 14, raising £2,100 for The Principle Trust which provides free respite holidays to children who are underprivileged, disadvantaged, disabled, have life-limiting conditions, or who have experienced poverty, trauma or abuse.

The event marked the friends’ first foray into marathon distance events and saw Adam reach the finish in four hours, 28 minutes; and Nathan in five hours, 19 minutes.

The pair, both 43, first met on the rugby pitches of Leeds Metropolitan University and went on to become life-long teammates, playing for several Bradford based clubs. Although both have since retired from the sport, the friends were inspired to complete the 26 mile challenge by rugby legend Rob Burrow.

Founder of The Principle Trust, Mike Davies, MBE, said: "Thanks to generous supporters like Nathan and Adam and many others, The Principle Trust is able to help disadvantaged families across Yorkshire to escape their everyday troubles and create valuable, happy memories."

Since its launch in 2011, The Trust has provided respite breaks for more than 4,500 children across Yorkshire.