A police officer ran 50 miles inside Glasgow Central after his friend suddenly died.

Police officer Joe Roy completed the ultra marathon on a treadmill in the middle of the train station, while wearing a 20kg weighted vest.

The 48-year-old took on the challenge on Friday, February 2 in memory of his colleague PC Stuart Gray, 29, who died last January from an undiagnosed heart condition.

Joe wants to raise £12,000 for the British Heart Foundation, with teams collecting cash in Glasgow Central while ran.

Glasgow Times: Joe hopes to raise money for the British Heart FoundationJoe hopes to raise money for the British Heart Foundation (Image: British Heart Foundation)

Glasgow Times: Stuart, 29, from Carluke, Lanarkshire passed away in January 2023 from an undiagnosed heart condition.Stuart, 29, from Carluke, Lanarkshire passed away in January 2023 from an undiagnosed heart condition. (Image: Newsquest)

He said: “I couldn’t sit back and do nothing, I had to find something good out of the tragedy.

“What’s the point in keeping myself fit all these years if I can’t do something good with it.

“If we can raise money for the BHF we can hopefully try and prevent other friends and families from going through similar, helping the BHF to continue their incredible research.”

Glasgow Times: The British Heart Foundation supported Joe's effortsThe British Heart Foundation supported Joe's efforts (Image: Sourced)

This will be the last of five challenges completed by Joe after an extraordinary fundraising effort, which ends this Heart Month.

Joe said: “It started because I used to have a big bushy beard and there was a running joke about how much people would give me to shave it off.

“I challenged someone to give me £100 and within 10 minutes I’d raised double that amount.”

Glasgow Times: The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is marking Heart Month this February. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is marking Heart Month this February. (Image: Newsquest)

This included an exercise class in a full body morph suit, a 400-meter farmers walk carrying 80kg, the bleep test carrying 20kg, 10 mile run with 50 press ups at the end of every mile, and climbing Tinto Hill in South Lanarkshire while carrying 52kg.

David McColgan, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “We have been overwhelmed by Joe’s superhuman efforts in honour of his good friend Stuart and we can’t thank him enough for the funds he has raised for the British Heart Foundation.

“Donations to the BHF help fund vital research to drive progress and give people the gift of more time with the people they love.”

Glasgow Times: Joe Roy on his endurance challengesJoe Roy on his endurance challenges (Image: Sourced)

Glasgow Times: Joe is remembering his friend who diedJoe is remembering his friend who died (Image: Sourced)

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: “We are so proud to get Joe’s support this Heart Month.

“A cardiac arrest can affect anyone at any time, and you’re most likely to need to give CPR to a loved one.

"That’s why we need everyone to learn CPR, and you can do that right now with RevivR - a free, simple tool that gives you the skills to help save a life, a loved one in just 15 minutes.

“With around twice as many people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases than with Alzheimer’s and cancer combined, we urgently need to fund more lifesaving research to fight heart conditions like cardiac arrest that devastate so many people and loved ones.

"Join all those Going Red and fundraising for the BHF this Heart Month to fund the breakthroughs of tomorrow and keep families together for longer.”

Joe is sharing his story as the British Heart Foundation (BHF) marks Heart Month this February.

To donate to Joe’s fundraising page please go to hwww.justgiving.com/fundraising/Joseph-Roy