A SCHOOLTEACHER has been playing organs across the country as part of a charity challenge.

Christopher Nixon began the 2,000-mile musical marathon of every cathedral city in England, by playing at Durham Cathedral.

Forty-one houses of worship and six days later he was in Worcester playing Pachelbel and Thalben-ball on the Cathedral's main organ.

Then it was a dash back to Middlesborough for Christopher, aged 26, from Redcar in Teesside, to perform a recital ending the seven-day trek.

The music teacher from Bankfields School, Easton, near Middlesborough, began the challenge after appearing on SouthSide Broadcasting in a breakfast show for James Cook University Hospital.

DJ Simon Asher joined him on the trip, and they raised £2,000 for Children in Need charities in the north east.

"We had a great reception in Worcester, being met at the door by verger, succentor, mayor, and organist," said Simon Asher.

"The whole trip was wonderful. I'll never experience anything like it again."

Highlights of the trip included playing at Westminster Cathedral and both of Liverpool's cathedrals.

Christopher is a keen organ player, playing regularly at Christ Church Coatham Church in Redcar.

During his trip he performed at cathedrals in cities including York, Lincoln, Derby, Ely, St Albans, Oxford, Canterbury, Chichester, Salisbury, Truro, Hereford, Worcester, Chester, Liverpool, and Newcastle.