Ripley gives amazing welcome to 'emotional' Sara Cox she passes £5m mark for BBC Children in Need
Children from a Harrogate school cheered as BBC Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox broke the £5 million fundraising barrier during her epic 135 mile challenge for Children in Need.
The celebrity broadcaster arrived at Ripley on day four of her gruelling Great Northern Marathon Challenge after passing through Masham, Kirkby Malzeard, Grantley and Sawley.
As millions of people tracked her progress via BBC Radio and BBC on Thursday evening, the pupils of Ripley CE Primary School welcomed a teary and weary Sara, who admitted her legs were in absolute agony after pounding the roads of Yorkshire.
During her stay in Ripley, Sara was meet with a surprise visitor, fellow radio broadcaster Jeremy Vine who had travelled from London to run alongside her into the village.
A Ripley businesswoman, Helen Barnes, who runs Just Makers in the Ripley Castle Courtyard, invited Cox and her support team to drop in for a festive drink and mince pie during her Christmas Preview Evening, which was raising funds for The Harrogate Chocolate Factory.
Cox highlighted the encouragement she received from women during the week, saying: "We are not women of a certain vintage, we are not women of a certain age, we are women over 50.
"It’s just the beginning when you get to 50, I’m loving being 50."
Friday morning saw Sara arrive in Beckwithshaw while carrying the charity’s mascot, Pudsey Bear where she was greeted by pupils from Beckwithshaw Primary School as she began the final leg of her five-day fundraising journey.
Lancashire-born Sara Cox has been one of the UK’s best-known radio presenters for nearly 30 years since she was a star of BBC Radio 1 at the time of Britpop.
Such is the scope of her achievements during the challenge, The Prince of Wales recorded a video message, played by Scott Mills on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show.
Prince William said: "Sara, a massive congratulations for what you’re doing.
"Keep going, you’ve done fantastically well, and the nation’s so proud of you."
Sara’s final destination of Pudsey was in tribute to Children in Need’s famous mascot.
To donate: https://donate.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/sara