Veteran vows to run as a vegetable for charity

An army veteran who has ran a marathon dressed as a piece of fruit on every continent has said she will continue her mission - but dressed as a vegetable.

Sally Orange, from Stafford, was discharged from the army in 2019 due to a diagnosis of depression and anxiety.

After spending five years raising money for different mental health charities she says she will not stop in 2025.

"When your reason to do something is strong enough, and you know that you don't want anyone else to suffer the way that you did, then you can go on and achieve more than you think," she said.

Ms Orange said she enjoyed the smiles her costumes put on faces while she ran and would encourage them to ask about the cause.

"I just love it when children see me running by, and they'll shout 'is that a carrot?'" she said.

In 2023, Ms Orange ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, all while dressed as various fruits.

The adventure athlete also recently completed the world's highest marathon dressed as a lemon at Mount Everest.

She said more awareness was needed around mental health in the military and she plans to keep coming up with ideas.

"I'll be doing the London Marathon dressed as a lettuce and I'll have the words on me 'Let us talk about mental health'," she said.

"I've already done Antarctica dressed as frozen peas. I try and give a meaning to the different vegetables."

Charities she is fundraising for include Walking With The Wounded and the Armed Forces Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team.

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.