Round Norfolk Relay

But this year’s event had special significance when one of the runners booked to take part needed the help of the East Anglian Air Ambulance crew just ten days before the race.

82-year-old Tim Hirst, a member of the Bungay Black Dog running club, was geared up to take on the penultimate 9km leg from Downham Market to Stow Bridge. But at the start of September, he suffered a medical emergency while on a ladder working on a container’s galvanised metal sheets in the grounds of his house.

“Suddenly, the ladder went one way, and I went the other,” Tim explains. The sheet of metal also fell, causing a significant injury to Tim’s leg. He tried to call his wife, before attempting to make it back to the house himself.

“I take blood thinners, so blood was oozing from my leg, and I passed out after making it the 100 yards to the house,” Tim adds.

Tim’s wife, Rachel, called 999. A crew from East Anglian Air Ambulance were also tasked to the scene, the helicopter landing in a field nearby. The crew attended Tim at the scene before accompanying him to hospital by land ambulance.

“The crew were so professional; they helped to keep my pain down.”

While Tim was able to return home shortly afterwards, sadly, his injury meant that he was unable to run his stage in the relay, which he had been looking forward to. However, the event and the cause took on even more meaning for Tim and, instead, he was able to lend his support to participants as they passed through the checkpoint at Bungay – as well as raise a considerable sum for our lifesaving charity without even lacing up!

Starting in the historic town of King’s Lynn, the relay runners worked their way along the Norfolk coastline – passing Sandringham, Hunstanton, Wells-next-the-Sea, and Cromer, before heading inland through Broadland, Great Yarmouth, Beccles, Diss, Thetford Forest, and Downham Market, eventually looping back to King’s Lynn.

Tim says, “It’s a super event with volunteers, support cars, refreshments and people on checkpoints supporting the runners as they pass through. I hope to be able to take part in next year’s event!”

“We won’t be letting Tim off so lightly next year,” joked team coordinator, James Nice. “Expect a record-breaking sprint as dawn breaks across the Fens!”

Thank you to Tim for sharing his story and to everyone who took part in the 2025 Round Norfolk Relay and their incredible fundraising so far!