A seven-year-old has been crowned youngest 100 Parkruns champ.

Dedicated Dexter Pattison, of Shepley, has sacrificed many a lie-in to gain the title as Huddersfield’s most junior runner after completing his centenary five kilometre race at the weekly morning timed Park Run at Greenhead Park, where he usually races.

To top it all, Dexter ran his best ever time in his 100th race by running the course in 27minutes 23 seconds, knocking one minute off his previous time.

Dexter who goes to Shepley First School, is now thought to also be one of the youngest in the UK to complete 100 runs which take place around the country for free thanks to a team of volunteers.

To mark his achievement he has been awarded an official place by organisers on the Park Run 100 Club website, which now has 10,195 other members that shows how popular the run has become.

Since he began entering the races at the age of five two years ago, Dexter has clocked up an impressive 500 kilometres of timed runs, the equivalent of running from his home to Torquay in Devon.

“It’s epic”, Dexter said. “I can’t wait to tell my friends about it. I want to keep going and now my next big goal is to complete 250 races.”

Not only does Dexter run in the main five kilometre races, free and available to both children and adults, but also the two and a half kilometre junior run that takes place the same morning – and he has 60 of them.

Shepley Park runner Dexter Pattison, who has completed 100 runs.

During his short running career he has also tried out events in other towns and cities such as Bradford, Sheffield and Leeds.

His parents Matthew, 35, and Sarah-Jane, 34, also keen runners, take it in turns to run around the routes with Dexter each week.

Matthew, a member of Stadium Runners, explained how Dexter got started.

READ MORE: Look back to our profile of Dexter, then six, as he caught the running bug

“I started going for a few weeks and he wanted to come with me”, he said.

“He really enjoys it and he’s not wanted to miss an event.

“He’s not got that ‘I want to beat everyone’ attitude, he just likes to run and he’s now got a good base.

“He’s also got a few of his friends into it which is great

“But he’s going to have to wait until next year to get his shirt because they don’t have any printed in his size.

“We’re so proud of him and hope that long may his success continue.”