Ledbury’s mayor has taken another big step towards his goal of running 333 marathons.

Phillip Howells ran his 330th marathon in Shropshire last weekend and said it was “quite hard as it turns out”.

The event - the Sunset to Sunrise Challenge - sees runners set out after dark and run as many laps as they choose.

This allowed Cllr Howells to run a race of ultra marathon length - the 111th time he has done so.

READ MORE: Ledbury mayor Phillip Howells completes trek to 'immeasurably beautiful' Machu Picchu

According to Cllr Howells, it is also the final time. When he finishes his marathon career on 333, he wants to have done 111 of each type - road marathons, trail marathons and ultra marathons.

“I had deliberately targeted this race as something a little different on which to end my ultra journey,” he said. “It was certainly that.

“Not only in the total dark, but also a really long time limit to ensure I had time enough for my now somewhat reluctant body to obey the demands of my contrasting steely determination.

'The first 333 element is done'

“Starting at the official sunset of 4.16pm just before dark, the aim was to run as many of the 5.5 miles out and back legs to the HQ as you could or wanted to before the official sunrise at 7.33am.

“My target was three, and 33 miles. Although thankfully flat, those miles seemed to go on forever, especially the last couple to the turn.”

Cllr Howells said he “can’t pretend I found it anything like easy” but is now “very, very happy, although not yet quite believing, that the first 333 element is done”.

“111 ultras at an average of 38.59 miles and all at least 30m is not a bad finishing record,” he said.

The marathon mayor has two more races planned for December and “all being well” will be running what he says is his final race on Friday, February 10.

Last month, as well as running two marathons, Cllr Howells found time to complete a lifelong dream by trekking to Machu Picchu, while raising money for charity.