ONE of the most amazing feats of running to be accomplished in the Lake District - the Brathay Ten Marathons in Ten Days Challenge - is back.

Last year the legendary fellsman Joss Naylor set off a band of intrepid runners dubbed the Magnificent Seven' - and varying in age from 41 to 72 - to complete the world-record feat in the lead-up to last year's Brathay Windermere Marathon.

Now the fund-raising Challenge is on again and those accepting it will set off from Brathay Hall on May 9 this year to complete their first circuit of Windermere.

They will then aim to achieve the feat for ten consecutive days, completing their last race on the day of the Brathay Windermere Marathon on May 18.

There is also an inter-national flavour to the Challenge represented by writer Malcolm Anderson, a 47-year-old New Zealander now living in Canada who is the author of the book The Marathon: From Athens to Disney, to be released in the spring.

The Challenge was the inspiration of Sir Christopher Ball after the achievement of Sir Rannulph Fiennes, who completed seven marathons in seven days on different continents.

Sir Christopher, a fellow of the Brathay Hall Trust, said: "I ran seven marathons in seven days in 2004, running the length of the Thames from the source to Tower Bridge in a week, then aged 69.

"I was confident that I could increase this to ten in ten days and looked for an opportunity to undertake the challenge with like-minded enthusiasts."

The Ten Marathons in Ten Days Challenge is held in conjunction with the Brathay Windermere Marathon.

Entry forms for the marathon can be downloaded from www.brathay.org.uk (News and Events) or requested on 015394 39730.