Big Pink Dress and Tony The Fridge will cross Great North Run finish line together

Great North runners Colin Burgin-Plews and Tony The Fridge Morrison.

Colin Burgin-Plews and Tony Phoenix-Morrison will don their signature garb to tackle the 13.1-mile course together on Sunday, September 11.

Tony, 51, is today 76 days into his challenge of running 100 Great North Runs in 100 days – with the big finale the iconic event itself – while carrying a 42kg fridge on his back.

Great North runner Colin Burgin-Plews sporting his new dress, depicting flags of every country represented in this year's Great North Run.

He’s carrying out the impressive feat in aid of Saras Hope Foundation, a charity which supports cancer survivors and their families.

Colin, 47, runs for Breast Cancer Now and is usually spotted in a pink frock, although this time, he’s created a dress that features the flags of 193 different countries, which event organisers hope will each be represented by a runner from the nation. 174 are represented so far.

Colin, from West Harton, South Shields, said: “They’re still looking 19 countries and they’re desperate to have someone from every country in the United Nations.

“It’s taken ages to make the dress because I’ve had to transfer every flag on individually by hand.

“I’ve put a mural on the bottom as well, with things like the Tyne Bridge and faces of people like Tony, Jarra Jim and Mo Farah, and I’ve had runners getting in touch asking for their picture to be on there too, so they’re sponsoring me to include them.

“I joined Tony to walk from the Tyne Bridge to South Shields yesterday and it’s the furthest I’ve gone since the London Marathon.

“I was a bit worried but after that I feel loads better, and crossing the finish line with Tony will be the icing on the cake – he’s a local legend.”

Tony, from Hebburn, added: “Since starting this 100 days I’ve got to know most of the people in the houses along the route and I talk to them every day. There are days when I don’t think I’d get through it if it wasn’t for them. Colin has been a fantastic support, and he’s shown up at the best possible times, when I’ve been thinking I couldn’t go on.

“He’s even been leaving bottles of Lucozade for me along the way.

“People have started calling us The Fridge and The Frock. We’ll do the Great North Run together step by step all the way.”

To sponsor Tony, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/TonytheFridge100GreatNorthRunsTo sponsor Colin, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bigpinkdressvlm17