Spider-Man to the rescue! Superhero jogger cheers kids in England

[April 02, 2020]    STOCKPORT, England (Reuters) - The northern English town of Stockport has a new hero in the battle to keep kids entertained during the coronavirus lockdown: Spider-Man!

Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, Stockport, Britain, April 1, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Jason Baird, a local 34-year-old martial arts teacher, has taken to dressing up as the Marvel superhero for his daily jog, replete with acrobatic jumps and somersaults.

Swapping the towering skyline of New York for suburban Stockport, a town known for its hat-making heritage, Baird stopped by a primary school on Wednesday and adopted Spider-Man's iconic crouching pose for waving children.

"It's just Co-op, and then I'll be back," Baird said of his route, referring to the local grocery store.

Following his visit to the school, Baird posed for a selfie with a policeman - contrasting with his opposite number in New York who sometimes had a strained relationship with the authorities.

(Reporting by Phil Noble in Stockport, writing by Andy Bruce; editing by Stephen Addison)

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