SIX months after Sally Marshall began working at Salisbury District Hospital, she joined a new running group there.

Having previously enjoyed running, she was keen to start again but admits the first few sessions were far from fun.

“The first session was awful,” she said. “I made it halfway round the field and was walking for most of it. But I was determined to keep going.”

Setting herself goals, beginning with the field itself, she soon rediscovered the running bug and has since gone onto do the Great South Run and the Tidworth 10k. She is also a regular at Salisbury’s weekly 5k Park Run. As part of her training, she decided to run to and from work – a three-mile round trip, and uphill.

In total, Sally has lost three stone, four dress sizes and at least eight inches all over.

“I couldn’t have done any of it without the running group,” she said, “and particularly the support of Andy Gillespie, an estates operations officer.

He would go at the same pace as me and if I needed to slow down for a bit, he would stay with me so I wasn’t at the back.”

The running group takes place on Mondays at 5pm. All abilities and ages are welcome.