A NAILSEA man will run the London Marathon this month in memory of his late grandfather.

Rob Tate, aged 27, is all set to tackle the capital’s famous 26.2 mile race after completing a gruelling fitness programme.

He has raised more than �500 for the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research and he is hopeful of getting more in the coming weeks.

He said: “My granddad died about seven years ago and they were both things that affected him in his life and on the back of that I thought I would run in memory of him.”

When Rob, a keen 400m runner, takes to the start-line on Sunday it will signal a remarkable turnaround.

In 2006 he completed the Burnham Half Marathon and vowed never to do any long distance runs again.

But he signed up to do the London Marathon last April and has been in training ever since. Following Christmas he has been running more than 40 miles a week.

And having trained hard through the winter, Rob, who works for Avon and Somerset police, said he cannot wait to get underway.

He said: “Training hasn’t been too bad. It is coming up to the race now so most of the hard work is done. I’m looking forward to the event now.”

To sponsor Rob visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/ RobertTate