Some intrepid Cambridge Harriers will be taking part in the mammoth British Coastal Relay when the baton reaches Greenwich next Sunday, 8th August.

Highly influenced by comedian Eddie Izzard’s fantastic feat of 43 marathons in 52 days and one man’s innate desire to do something a bit different, a group called Coasters GB are pledging to run around the country with their mascot Barry the Baton.

A small wooden baton, named Barry, has made the mammoth trek around the British coastline from Blackpool Tower and has now travelled 2050 miles to reach Skegness and is due to reach Greenwich on Sunday, 8th August.

‘Coasters’, as the runners are known, can be anything from trundling joggers to ultimate athletes and complete different sections of the coastline in a journey that no other baton has even taken before.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for runners of all ages and abilities from the area to be inspired and be part of an historic event,” said coaster and Cambridge Harrier Kevin White. “The baton will set off from Greenwich foot tunnel at 8am on 8th August and will follow the Thames 13 miles to Erith, where Barry will be passed on to three more coasters who will carry it on this leg to Gravesend.”

Anyone interested in running a section of the route can register or obtain more details online at www.coastersgb.co.uk, where Barry’s progress can be tracked on a daily basis.

Furthermore, local residents can also get involved by snapping a picture of runners they suspect might be carrying Barry with details of where and when they spotted them and e-mailing it to barryspotter@coastersgb.co.uk A winner will then be drawn from the virtual hat to win a special prize, while all other accurate spottings will receive an ‘I spotted Barry’ certificate.