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Runners compete in marathon inside former prison

BBC David Andrewartha. He has short brown hair, has purple glasses on, a black tracksuit top and medal shaped like a pumpkin around his neck. Behind him is a red brick building with metal grates on the windowBBC
David Andrewartha won the morning race

Hundreds of runners have taken part in a marathon inside a former jail.

Dorchester Prison is hosting two races, one on Saturday morning and a second after dark, which sees competitors run 55 laps over four floors.

Up to 115 people signed up for the morning race and about 100 have entered the night race - some are set to tackle both.

Runner David Andrewartha from Cornwall said he "had a little cry" after winning the morning race in a time of four hours and 24 minutes, adding: "It’s the first thing I’ve ever won."

Before the race, Mr Andrewartha told BBC Radio Solent: "I don't know what sort of training you need to do for this sort of thing. I've put in a lot of step training, a lot of hills."

The first marathon race to be held at the former jail was won by David Andrewartha

The Green Mile, named after the Stephen King novel and US film about a death row inmate, is organised by Sussex Trail Events, which hosts marathons in quirky settings, including Southend Pier and a multi-storey car park in Worthing.

A large, L-shaped red brick structure. Part of the building is shaped like the entrance to a chapel, and has large windows at the top. There are doors where five or so people are stood on steps.
The event took place at Dorchester Prison

Mr Andrewartha has competed in both the pier and car park races, along with the Shepton Mallet Prison marathon, which he has entered twice.

He said: "There are plenty of corridors and the beauty of this is when you get to one of the floors you can see other other prisoners, I mean runners.

"You can always see people as you are running. You are not going to know where in the pack you are because there are so many people around you.

"That confuses you a little bit and I like the mental challenge of that.

The inside of Dorchester Prison. It is three tiers with metal grating covering each balcony tier.
Dorchester Prison closed in 2013

"The mental challenge of going around in circles and trying not to get bored is a challenge in itself.

"I've done so many different lapped events that running from A to B seems boring to me now."

Sussex Trail Events recently asked runners for their "craziest marathon" ideas such as "on a roundabout, block of flats, football pitch or runway" for an April Fools Day race in 2025.

Chris Ette, one of the race organisers, said: "We are always looking for new venues and always asking runners for ideas and we try and make it happen."

Dorchester Prison closed in 2013 and was bought by City and Country for £3.25m but plans to turn it into homes have stalled.

Since then the jail has been used as an Airsoft venue, a film location and has hosted sleepovers, ghost tours and comedy nights.

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