A LONG Lee man who embarked on a bid to lose weight and get fit in the summer is tackling the London Marathon for charity.

Shaun Roberts decided to shed the pounds after seeing himself in holiday snaps, and suffering from an aching back and knees.

"A lot of my time was spent in the office – I needed to exercise after work," says Shaun, 54, a funeral director with the Co-op.

"I joined the Everlast gym and began changing how I looked and felt."

In June Shaun weighed-in at around 17 stones, but treadmill running helped him lose a stone within a fortnight.

Now he weighs about 14 stones – and has lost four inches from his waist.

Running a marathon has always been on his bucket list.

Shaun adds: "Initially, running 26.2 miles filled me with dread. But I decided to enter the London Marathon ballot and was offered the chance to run on behalf of the Salvation Army, which since 1865 has been working with some of the most marginalised people in society."

Next year's marathon is on April 23.

Shaun has set up an online fundraising page at justgiving.com/fundraising/Shaun-Roberts6, with the aim of raising over £2,000.