Kevin Sinfield has completed seven ultramarathons in seven days, raising £1.15 million for motor neuron disease (MND) charities.

The former Leeds Rhinos and England rugby league captain arrived at AMT Headingley Stadium in Leeds on December 7, having run from York on the final leg of his 7 in 7: Together challenge. 

The Christmas endurance challenge has become a regular feature in Sinfield’s calendar, having completed his first challenge in 2020 following former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow’s diagnosis with MND. 

Burrow died last year, but Sinfield has continued to raise money to fund research and support those with MND. He has now completed six endurance challenges, taking his total raised to £11m. 

Addressing the crowd after arriving at Headingley, his home ground throughout his rugby league career, Sinfield said: "To the MND community and the people we've met en route, all through the last week, all through the past five years, to everybody we've met - you're an absolutely beautiful community. We've got to keep fighting for the MND community."

The 7 in 7 challenge included an Extra Mile event, where members of the MND community joined Sinfield for one mile each day.

For the final few kilometres, Sinfield was joined by thousands of Santas completing the Leeds Santa Dash - including triathlete Jonny Brownlee and boxer Josh Warrington.

Sinfield initially set the fundraising target at £777,777 in tribute to Burrow’s former shirt number, but he has now surpassed that.

The money raised will go towards six MND charities: Motor Neurone Disease Association, Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, MND Scotland, Leeds Hospitals Charity and The Darby Rimmer MND Foundation.