After completing the Great North Run in 2009, keen runner Jon de Gray decided to take a week off.

Seven days away from pounding the pavements drifted into two years and the Surlingham man soon found himself in the running wilderness. But the 51-year-old is back on track after a letter arrived giving him the chance to realise a lifelong dream.

Mr de Gray is now in full training for the 26.2-mile London Marathon, taking place on Sunday, April 22, and hoping to raise �1,000 for Children with Cancer UK.

The self-employed carpenter and joiner said: 'After I ran the Great North Run in 2009, I decided to have a week or so off and the break got a bit longer and longer. Short of doing the Sport Relief mile, a couple of years had gone without any running being done.

'It was not very easy to get back into running to begin with.

'I started nearly straight away when I found out in October I was doing the marathon and for one reason or another I couldn't really get into it properly.

'But I did seriously start training before Christmas and it's going really well.'

Mr de Gray, who is a member of the Norwich Road Runners, is following a 16-week training programme and said: 'Barring any major mishaps I'm on target with training. The London Marathon is something I've always wanted to do for as long as I can remember.'

To sponsor Mr de Gray visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JondeGray

Are you running the London Marathon for charity? Call Evening News reporter Richard Wheeler on 01603 772474 or email richard.wheeler@archant.co.uk