A 13-YEAR-OLD boy from Salisbury ran 27 miles over two days to support a charity run by ex-Southampton player Francis Benali.

Taylor Oakley was keeping the former Saints player company during his long charity run for Cancer Research UK which incorporates all 20 Premier League grounds.

The Bishop Wordsworth’s pupil ran 12 miles on Saturday after starting at Goodison Park, in Liverpool, and he ran a further 15 miles in Manchester on Sunday.

Taylor is hoping to join Benali again this weekend when he visits the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.

“I did it because I wanted to increase awareness for the great cause that he is trying to raise money for,” he said.

“It was really painful on the legs but I had great fun doing it.

“We chatted on the run and Francis told me about how he became so good at what he did. He is a really nice person.”

Benali, 45, is attempting to become the first person to run between all the Premier League grounds.

“There's so much focus on the challenge itself that almost anything beyond that you don't even focus on,”

he said.

“That's how all-consuming this challenge is. Everything has just been looking at the run.

To donate text donation BIGR55, followed by the amount you would like to donate, to 70070 or visit jellyfishlivewire.co.uk/benalis-big-run.