A lorry driver hopes to raise £500 for a dementia charity by attempting his first marathon this weekend.

David Bane, 49, from Stalham Staithe, will be tackling the 26.2 mile route in London this Sunday for the Alzheimer's Society.

He wants to raise money for the charity because his grandmother, Louisa Brakenbury, who died about 50 years ago, had Alzheimer's Disease and his mother Dulcie Bane, 86, was diagnosed with the illness about five years ago.

Mr Bane, who was born and bred in Stalham, said: 'When I get parked up after a shift I go for a run. I go running about five or six days a week. I like the freedom. It clears your mind and it is a good way to keep the weight off.'

Mr Bane, who works for M W White Ltd, based at Ketteringham, used to take part in 100 metre, 200 metre and 400 metre races at school.

He took up long distance running seven years ago when he started working for the recycling firm - which involves driving around Kent, Norfolk and the Midlands.

The father-of-one runs for about an hour at a time and practises after finishing 13 hour shifts on the road.

Mr Bane won a place through the ballot system after applying in April last year and hopes to complete the course in under four hours.

'I'm getting a little bit apprehensive but it will be fun on the day,' he added.

Training started after Christmas and he has so far clocked up 740 miles.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/David-Bane.