Lord Wandsworth College student Phoebe Harris has become the youngest known woman to run the length of the UK.

Eighteen-year-old Phoebe set off from John O’Groats on June 20 and arrived at Land’s End on August 26 having taken 68 days to complete the journey of more than 1,000 miles.

Phoebe received her A-level results during the challenge and will study medicine at university after gaining three As.

She said: “This experience has been such good fun. I’ve loved being out in nature and experiencing all the different towns, landscapes and cultures along the way. It’s been amazing to see what I’m capable of by completing something that I’ve always dreamed of doing.”

There is no Guinness World Record for Phoebe as the organisation has a minimum age of 16 for the challenge and no ‘youngest’ category for it.

Phoebe started running four years ago after previously hating sport, beginning with a school fundraising run. After receiving an autism diagnosis in 2024 she finds therapy through running.

The challenge raised £4,902 for the National Autistic Society and the Lord Wandsworth Foundation, which helps children who have lost the support of a parent, primarily through bereavement.

Phoebe’s dad Chris ran the length of the UK too after making it his mission to spend time with her before she started university.

He said: “This adventure has given me something incredibly special with Phoebe. We’ve spent weeks together talking for hours, laughing, getting through difficult days and sharing experiences that neither of us will ever forget.

“With Phoebe about to head off to university and begin a completely new chapter of her life, I know I’ll never get this particular period of her life back. When I called this adventure the gift of time before we started, I don’t think I fully understood just how valuable that gift would be.”