Marathon challenge in shop window

Mr Shields has run more than 50 marathons and 80 half marathons

A veteran long-distance runner is attempting to break his own record within the confines of a department store window in central London.

Thousands of shoppers will watch Paul Shields, known as the Yorkshire Running Man, run for two days on a treadmill at Selfridges from 1200 BST on Friday.

Mr Shields, 41, broke the previous world record by running 137.6 miles in 48 hours in his home city of Leeds last September.

This time he will be on full display at the flagship Oxford Street store as part of its Body Craze month of activities celebrating the human body.

Mr Shields, who began running in his teens, has nearly 50 marathons and more than 80 half marathons under his belt.

Among his more gruelling challenges have been his five appearances at the Marathon Des Sables, a 152-mile race through temperatures of nearly 50C in the Sahara Desert.

"That should be more than enough training for the treadmill event in anybody's books," he said.