HE'S not had more than an hour and half's sleep at any one time for the past 42 days, but racing legend Richard Dunwoody was nevertheless in celebratory mood yesterday as he finished one of the most gruelling endurance tests ever attempted.

HE'S not had more than an hour and half's sleep at any one time for the past 42 days, but racing legend Richard Dunwoody was nevertheless in celebratory mood yesterday as he finished one of the most gruelling endurance tests ever attempted.

The 45-year-old had decided to follow in the footsteps of Captain Robert Barclay Allardice, who 200 years ago was bet he could not walk 1,000 miles in 1,000 consecutive hours.

But as he crossed the finish line on Newmarket's July Course, Mr Dunwoody, like Capt Allardice, achieved just that and has raised thousands of pounds for charity in the process.

He was joined down the final stretch of the 1,000 mile challenge by Lester Piggott.

Onlookers cheered and clapped as Mr Dunwoody walked down the final stretch of his 1,000 mile endeavour as The Proclaimers' song I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) was blasted from the course's PA system.

Prior to reaching the finishing line, Mr Dunwoody had walked the same half-mile stretch from Newmarket's Bedford Lodge Hotel down to the memorial in Bury Road and back 1,000 times.

Because he had to complete a mile every single hour, he has managed to get no more than 1hr 20min sleep at a time.

Prior to setting off Mr Dunwoody told the EADT he feared the challenge might drive him “to breaking point”.

Along the way he was joined by a number of well-known figures including the former “Bond Girl” Rachel Grant, rugby star Dean Richards, fellow racing legend Frankie Dettori, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and cricketer Michael Holding.

The money raised will be shared between four charities Alzheimer's Society, SPARKS, Racing Welfare and Spinal Research.