Ruth Langsford, Adam Woodyatt and Barbara Knox were among the TV stars sending supportive messages to Coronation Street actress Sally Ann Matthews, who completed her 50th 5km run for charity.

Matthews, who plays Jenny Connor in the ITV drama, set herself a challenge to run 5km as she approached her 50th birthday last year.

After celebrating her big day, the actress made the decision to keep running and complete 5km runs to match her age over the next year, with the aim to raise £5,000 for five different charities.

Sally Ann Matthews charity run
Sally Ann Matthews plays Jenny Connor in Coronation Street (Plank PR/PA)

Celebrities including TV presenter Richard Arnold, actor Colson Smith, and former King of the I’m A Celebrity jungle Joe Pasquale flooded her Instagram account with video messages of support.

On Wednesday, she was joined by her co-stars outside the Coronation Street set in Media City as she finished her final 5km, including actress Millie Gibson who ran in support.

Matthews, who could not run for the bus before starting the challenge, said: “I always thought of myself as a running joke rather than a runner, but having done the first 5km I thought how great it would be to keep going, get fit in the process and more importantly raise some funds for well deserving charities.

“A huge thank you to everyone who donated and sent me messages of support, it’s all helped to keep me pounding the pavements.”

Matthews has raised more than £7,000 for charities Acting For Others, Action Against Cancer, Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, The Matt Hampson Foundation and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.