The founder of Bradford-based Christians Against Poverty has raised more than £1 million after completing 15 marathons in little more than 15 days across three continents.

John Kirkby set off on the mammoth fundraising effort earlier this month in drizzly Edinburgh and finished in the Auckland sunshine on Saturday.

The purpose of the Remember the Poor event was to raise money for those struggling during the economic downturn.

CAP, which employs around 170 staff its head office in North Street, Bradford, has a debt help centre running from the nearby Light Church – as well as at a network of centres across the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Kirkby, 50, of Saltaire, began the charity from a bedroom office in Great Horton 15 years ago and has seen around 49,000 people helped since.

The 15 marathons, for which he trained for 18 months, have raised a total of £1.2 million – £912,530 of which was raised in the UK and will help reach British people in areas where currently there is no CAP centre. The charity has 190 centres so far in the UK and plans to have 500 by around 2015.

Mr Kirkby, who set off on November 8, said: “It was one of those things that seemed a good idea at the time.

“I honestly didn’t realise what it was going to require from us when we set out on this, but I am overwhelmed at everyone’s generosity and encouragement.”

Each day included an hour of speaking to the media, followed by around five hours of running; eating and sleeping then a fundraising dinner before travelling to the next destination and doing it all again.

He said: “We were left with just a few hours sleep between destinations which made it pretty relentless.

“We got off the plane into Australia, changed into our running gear in the airport rest rooms and ran in the dark with head torches on to the next checkpoint.”

The adventures included a trip to 10 Downing Street where Mr Kirkby was able to present Dewsbury MP Baroness Warsi with a file containing the stories of clients, how they fell into debt trouble and how it affected them.

For more information, visit capuk.org