Bristol ultra runner breaks world record for scaling all 214 Wainwright fells in the Lake District

• Watch John Kelly talk about his incredible achievement on ITV News West Country

An ultra runner from Bristol who broke the record for running all of the Wainwright peaks in the Lake District said taking on extreme challenges help him "detach from the stresses of life".

John Kelly, 37, completed all 214 of the fells in just five days, 12 hours, 14 minutes and 42 seconds - 11 hours faster than the previous record.

The data scientist, who is originally from Tennessee, slept for just 1-2.5 hours a night, taking micro-naps in a campervan.

In a bid to keep his energy levels up, the father of four ate around 300 calories an hour during the challenge.

Describing how he ended up beating the record, the ultra runner said: "It's definitely a snowball effect.

"I didn't wake up one day wanting to do these. I wanted to do a marathon, then I wanted to do a fast marathon and then kind of gradually built up through ultras and came around to this one."

He said the challenge enabled him to "capture the heart of the Lake District and explore some great mountains".

The 320-mile route is based on the peaks listed in Alfred Wainwright's seven-volume 'Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells'.

The guide was written over 13 years in the 1950s and 1960s and for many is seen as a lifetime challenge.

John said keeping on track and staying focussed was as much a mental challenge as a physical one.

He said: "It's quite difficult, and that is built with experience. I'd say the biggest difference between normal road races and some of these ultras is there are a lot of ups and downs.

"So you have to remember in those low spots that it will get better and it's quite rewarding on the other side of that.

"You have to be able to keep moving, just one step at a time, to push through those tough spots."

But ultimately, John believes the extreme challenges can help with his mental health.

"It's definitely something that helps as a mental relief and something that detaches me from the other stresses of work and everyday life.

"It also just gives me a great way to focus on setting these tough goals, pursuing them in a way I enjoy, exploring these mountains and learn from these challenges in ways that apply to everyday life, and some these more important issues we're facing than running around mountains."