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Nov
Sara Cox apologises for ‘binning off’ Harrogate mayor during Children In Need challenge
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Sara Cox has apologised for ‘binning off’ the Harrogate mayor during her incredible fundraising challenge last week.
Ms Cox raised over £10 million for Children in Need after undertaking a 135-mile ultramarathon from Northumberland to Pudsey in East Yorkshire.
As she was running through Beckwithshaw on Friday, Harrogate mayor Chris Aldred took to the streets donned in his Harrogate Town football kit and mayoral chain in the hope of joining her for a mile.
But despite indications it would be fine, he was told on the day it wouldn't be possible so he settled for a picture with the Pudsey bear mascot and cheered on Ms Cox.
On a BBC Radio 2 show hosted by Ms Cox today, she said:
We’ve found the mayor. His mate Steve texted in saying, ‘That’s my pal Chris.’ We’ve had a look. Mayor of Harrogate: Chris Aldred. The Google images of him have come up, including one from his Facebook of him with Pudsey so I’m like, ‘Bingo! That’s the fella.’ Because he’s in yellow as well and he’s wearing his chain. I guess you would do, wouldn’t you?
But I didn’t hear it jingling and jangling as he was running, or attempting to, run near me before I binned him off. Apparently, according to his mate Steve, he found it very humorous: he wasn’t upset at all, so I hope that is the case.
Chris Aldred cheers on Sara Cox as she heads through the Harrogate district.
During her challenge, Ms Cox was greeted by children and teachers from Ripley Endowed Church of England Primary School at the end of her fourth day after passing through Masham, Grewelthorpe, Kirkby Malzeard, Grantley and Sawley.
The Radio 2 presenter ran 135 miles in five days to raise money for BBC Children in Need, which included a stop in Ripley before heading out on the final stretch through Harrogate onto Pudsey.
She carried Pudsey bear on her back, as part of her mission to take Pudsey to Pudsey in West Yorkshire.
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