UK charity runner gets stolen bag back

A British man running across Canada for charity was attacked and had his bag stolen but an appeal on social media produced surprising results.

A couple jogging (AAP)

(AAP)

A British adventurer attacked and robbed on New Year's Eve while attempting a gruelling charity run across Canada has got his belongings back.

Jamie McDonald had appealed for the return of his "man bag" containing a hard drive holding priceless footage of his trip, his camera and wallet.

They were stolen when the 27-year-old was assaulted in the ski resort of Banff, Alberta, and he immediately launched an appeal on social networking sites for their return.

His plea on Facebook and Twitter got an immediate response from both sides of the Atlantic, with well-wishers pledging donations to the children's charities McDonald is supporting.

The Briton, who suffered blows to the head in the incident, said the bag was found close to the scene of the attack.

Writing on his blog, he said: "Having spent a crazy day speaking to the police, I wanted to update everybody who's been kind enough to read, share and care.

"My bag, including my possessions, priceless hours of footage of my journey across Canada and my wallet, amongst other things, has been found.

"Some of you may know that I was attacked in the early hours of New Year's Day in Banff and that I left quickly after the unprovoked attack, leaving my bag. I was told it had been taken."

McDonald, from Gloucester, is less than 966 kilometres from becoming the first person to run across Canada without a support team but is on the toughest leg of his route as he makes his way across the Rocky Mountains.

The 8000km coast-to-coast run is the equivalent of more than 200 marathons in 275 days, and involves Mr McDonald sleeping by the side of the road, or relying on strangers' generosity as he undertakes the challenge.

McDonald's coast-to-coast challenge began in St John's, Labrador, in March and will finish in Vancouver after passing through mountain ranges, national parks and along highways.

Originally billed as the "British Forrest Gump", he is running dressed as comic superhero The Flash after a public vote on Twitter and Facebook chose a costume for him.

McDonald, who suffered from a debilitating immune deficiency and potentially fatal spinal condition syringomyelia as a child, spent the first nine years of his life in and out of children's hospitals and is running to raise funds for SickKids Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and the Pied Piper Appeal.


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3 min read

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Source: AAP



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