Barrie McDermott will line up at the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon on 11 May as captain of a seven-strong squad running in memory of the former Leeds Rhinos scrum-half who died last year from motor neurone disease.

McDermott, 52, from Saddleworth, has set a £7,777 fundraising target for Leeds Hospitals Charity’s Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease. His teammates include son Billy - coached by Burrow at the Rhinos - ex-Hollyoaks actor Rob Norbury and former footballer Marcus Stewart.

“I hate running. I hate dancing,” the former Great Britain prop said. “Yet somehow, I always end up doing both for Rob’s amusement. Now, even without a voice, he’s still managing to shout at me… ‘Run, fat boy, run!’ I swear I can hear him laughing every step of the way.”

Since Burrow’s 2019 diagnosis, McDermott has raised tens of thousands of pounds through events including the 2022 Burrow Strictly Ball, where his Thriller routine won the glitterball trophy. He will wear race number 7 - Burrow’s old shirt number - when he tackles the 26.2-mile course for the second time.

“Wearing number 7 is a privilege,” McDermott said. “It reminds me daily of the strength and determination that Rob and so many others have shown in the face of MND. By running these 26.2 miles, I’m not just pushing myself physically - I’m carrying forward a legacy of hope and resilience. This run is for Rob, for his family, and for every MND warrior out there.”

Leeds Hospitals Charity passed its £6.8 million target last December to build the specialist centre. Director of fundraising Paul Watkins said: “Barrie got behind our appeal from the very start and has thrown himself into fundraising for his friend Rob. I’d like to wish Barrie and his team the very best of luck, and I look forward to cheering them on at the finish line.”

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