Despite the coronavirus lockdown, Royston’s very own ‘Mr Ovary’ will be out fundraising, from a social distance, for World Ovarian Cancer Day next month.

Royston Crow: Craig or 'Mr Ovary', was out fundraising for the 2.6 Challenge on Sunday. Picture: SuppliedCraig or 'Mr Ovary', was out fundraising for the 2.6 Challenge on Sunday. Picture: Supplied (Image: Archant)

If you live in or around Royston, chances are you have seen Craig McMurrough in his 6ft foam costume reminiscent of the female reproductive organ in the past.

Like others who couldn’t attend the London Marathon this year, Craig took part in the 2.6 Challenge on Sunday, where he raised £200 for the ovarian cancer charity Ovacome – while adhering to social distancing rules.

He was blown away by the support and said: “I had only taken three steps out of my house and someone had put £20 in my bucket.

“Cars were tooting their horns and cyclists getting off their bikes to applaud me. People were beautifully receptive and it created a whole chain of dialogue on the community’s Facebook page afterwards.

“I exercised social distancing rules and although some people were nervous about coming over to put money in the bucket I had a great reception outside Royston’s M&S store, raising £100 on the day and another £100 from the resulting social media after.”

Craig, who lost his sister Cheryl to ovarian cancer four years ago, has already raised more than £30,000 for Ovacome after running 19 marathons and climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, where he placed a photo of Cheryl and an Ovacome t–shirt at the summit.

But 2020 was to be his pièce de résistance, as this year he will celebrate his 50th birthday and he had planned a host of other fundraising challenges.

Sadly, plans to tackle the Tokyo Marathon have also been postponed and he suspects he will not be trekking through Sahara in November or canoeing on the Zambezi in July as he had hoped.

“This means that getting out last weekend and on May 8 is more important than ever to support Ovacome, a small charity which like others has been affected by COVID-19,” says Craig.

“I don’t go fast, I go at a nice, sedentary pace so that people can have a chat and a bit of a holler,” he adds.

So far, Craig has raised more than half of his fundraising total but he still needs your support to get him over the edge.

To donate to Craig’s fundraising page, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/craig-mcmurrough14