Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow's friendship continues to warm the hearts of the nation and in the latest recognition of their MND campaigning, the Leeds Rhinos legends were surprised with a truly beautiful painting in their honour.
Giving him a kiss on his cheek as they completed the full 26.2 miles, it was one of the most emotional moments of the year and has not only led to countless signs up to next year's race already, but even inspired an award-winning artist to pay tribute to them.
Depicting the now iconic image of the Rhinos teammates crossing the finish line, Sinfield was surprised with a painting by Oscar-winning artist, illustrator and children's author Charlie Mackesy, best known for his short film, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.
Kevin Sinfield was surprised with the painting on Tuesday.
TheManchester-born rugby league legend turned England roach was visibly moved by the gesture, stating that he was simply "blown away" by the picture.
Sinfield has gone on to become not just a sporting icon but a national hero, raising over £4 million for MND research from the marathon alone and well over £7 million in total since his charity work began back in 2019 when Rob was diagnosed.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast after completing the marathon named in his friend's honour, the 42-year-old insisted on directing all the credit to Rob and his family, hailing them as "a real inspiration for everybody", adding that Rob's wife "Lindsey has shown everyone what real love is."
Speaking of the Burrows, they were also sent the painting of their dad being carried across the finish line, receiving several signed copies from Mackesy which and calling it "a moment we'll never forget". Rob also described it as "the best day of his life".
Sinfield has since written a book chronicling the remarkable journey he and Burrow have been on in an effort to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) over the past few years entitled, Kevin Sinfield: Going The Extra Mile.
Moreover, the documentary of the same name that ran alongside aired back in February and is also nominated for a National Television Award (NTA), as is Rob Burrow's Living With MND film.
However, it's no surprise that Sinfield urged viewers to "please vote for Rob, everybody. Their story is incredible certainly across the UK but worldwide; they've shown everybody what living is and I think Lindsey has shown everyone what real love looks like". Great, now we're crying again.
As for the painting itself, you can buy prints of it on Charlie Mackesy's website HERE, with proceeds going to the MDNA. In fact, more than 16,000 copies have already been sold with over £30,000 raised for the cause in just 12 hours. Amazing.
A fundraising campaign has been launched after a much-loved wildlife pond in Sheffield was destroyed in what has been described as a "devastating" act of vandalism.
The pond over at Heeley City Farm, which had recently been refurbished by a dedicated group of volunteers aged 16 to 24, was almost completely destroyed over the weekend after its lining was deliberately slit, causing the water to drain away.
According to the farm, the project had been months in the making and was designed to create a peaceful haven for wildlife while also providing a tranquil space for visitors to enjoy.
The volunteer group behind the project invested countless hours into transforming the area and even helped secure nearly £5,000 in funding to bring their vision to life.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Announcing the heartbreaking news to Instagram, Heeley City Farm said: "Last weekend, we experienced a truly devastating act of vandalism at the farm. Our newly refurbished pond area, lovingly created by our incredible 16–24 volunteer group, was almost completely destroyed.
"This space was so much more than a pond. It was designed to be a peaceful haven for wildlife, a calm area for visitors to enjoy and somewhere nature could thrive in the heart of the city. The group poured many hours of hard work, care and passion into transforming the area, even helping to secure nearly £5,000 in funding to bring the project to life.
"In just a matter of hours, so much of that work was torn apart. The pond lining, a fundamental and vital part of the entire project, was deliberately slit, causing the pond to almost completely empty. Plants purchased especially for the habitat were ripped up and frogs and newts had only recently begun returning, making the destruction even more heartbreaking. Valuable habitat has been lost overnight.
"We are devastated for our volunteers, staff, and everyone who enjoyed this special space. It is incredibly disheartening when so many people are working tirelessly to improve the farm and create better facilities for the community, only to face setbacks like this that drain already scarce time and resources. It also leaves understandable fears about future projects and improvements being targeted in the same way.
"The police are investigating this incident and CCTV footage of the group responsible has been provided to them. Despite this, we are so proud of our volunteers and everything they achieved. Their hard work created something beautiful, and although right now we are heartbroken, we are determined that this will not take away the passion and community spirit behind the project.
"If anyone would like to support us in rebuilding the pond area and restoring this important wildlife habitat, any donations, no matter how small, would be hugely appreciated (link in bio). Your support will help our volunteers bring this special space back to life. Thank you."
80s icons Duran Duran announce huge Leeds gig as part of UK tour
Clementine Hall
British pop-rock legends Duran Duran are heading out on tour and coming to Leeds.
The ‘Rio’ and ‘Girls on Film’ singers are still going strong nearly five decades on, after releasing their 16th studio album, Danse Macabre, back in October 2023.
Later this year, Duran Duran will be heading to first direct bank arena for a spectacular live show, bringing decades of chart-topping hits, legendary performances and unmistakable style to our city.
It's set to be a very special evening, as their night in Leeds will act as the closing night of the UK Tour.
Formed in Birmingham in 1978, Duran Duran became one of the defining bands of the 1980s and helped shape the global New Romantic movement.
Across a career spanning more than four decades, the band has sold over 100 million records worldwide and earned multiple BRIT Awards, Grammy Awards and an enduring reputation as one of Britain’s most influential pop-rock acts.
Known for their truly groundbreaking music videos, electrifying live shows and timeless catalogue, it's safe to say that Duran Duran continue to captivate audiences across generations.
Fans can expect an unforgettable night featuring some of the band’s biggest hits including Hungry Like the Wolf, Rio, Girls on Film, Ordinary World, The Reflex and Save A Prayer.
Duran Duran will perform at Leeds' first direct bank arena on Saturday 24 October and they will be joined by special guests Pigeon.
Duran Duran tickets at Leeds' first direct bank arena go on general sale this Friday 5 June 2026, and you can get yours here.
Danny Jones -
24th May 2023 
