A TEENAGER won a traditional walk that his ancestor accidentally founded decades ago.

Kieran Todd beat dozens of competitors in the Good Friday Walk in Radley, completing the 12.5 mile trek to Oxford and back in two hours and seven minutes.

The race marked its 55th year yesterday, having grown from a beer-fuelled bet set at the Bowyer Arms pub in the village.

Abingdon resident Mr Todd, 18, said: “I take part every year and try to win, it’s a family tradition.

“I’ve come second a few times but this is the only time I’ve come first. Normally there is some family rivalry but the last couple of years I’ve beaten them by more than an hour.”

The City of Oxford College student set out from the pub’s starting line alongside his five sisters, mum and stepdad Charlie Long.

Mr Long’s late grandfather Walter Long, former landlord at the pub, was responsible for the first Good Friday Walk in 1963.

He said: “It came about from an argument over the bar - one person said it was quicker to walk to Oxford along the river, and the other said along the road. My grandfather said ‘well let’s prove who’s right or wrong’.”

The two punters, Jack Parsons and George Steptoe, set out on their challenge and bet each other a pint that the other would lose.

Mr Parsons reigned victorious and his route has been trampled every year since by villagers - but these days the prize is a trophy for the adult race and chocolate eggs for the shorter children’s race, with an after party raising money for local causes.

South Abingdon resident Mr Long, 59, said: “It’s nice to see it’s kept going throughout the years.”

Bowyer Arms chef Tracie Guntert and her friend Carina Coppock, took over as organisers of the race four years ago when their predecessors cancelled the event last-minute.

Mum-of-two Mrs Coppock, 31, said: “We had a week’s notice to organise it. The walk’s been going ever since I was little, we always came hereto take part.”

The Abingdon resident, also a chef, grew up in the village.

She added: “It’s a lot of fun, we loved it as kids. We’ve got kids of our own and we wanted them to be able to enjoy it.”

Radley resident and mum-of-five Miss Guntert, 42, said the event helped to get the community together, especially as they have a full day of activities including live music and a tombola afterwards.

Her daughter Ruby, eight, who took part in the shorter race yesterday, said the event was a lot of fun - especially because of the chocolate prizes.

Her sister Ava, 14, added: “It brings Radley closer together, like a family.”

There were several categories in the adult race including ‘first local man back’, which was won by the race’s eldest competitor Charlie McCarthey, who returned after two hours and 43 minutes.

The 72-year-old lives just outside Radley in North Abingdon, but said he was a regular at the Bowyer Arms and relied on Radley’s village facilities including the shop and train station.

The retired engineer said: “It’s good craic. The build-up is something special, seeing people that you know. I’ve walked every year for at least a dozen years.”

This year about 60 people took part - 30 in the normal route and 30 in the shorter ‘triangle walk’.

The pub’s after party included a raffle, live music and a tombola and raised money for Radley Youth Club and Friends of Radley Primary School.