A former Keighley Cougars player who moved to the US is to run in the Parkersburg half marathon.

David Cox lives in the small town of Little Hocking, Ohio, and works in nearby Parkersburg as an installer for Steers Heating & Cooling.

David, who has a wife Helen and three children, lived in Keighley for most of his life and worked at Magnet Joinery for 27 years from apprentice to management.

He began playing rugby at Worth Village in Keighley, and played in the Halifax area before joining the Cougars playing under coaches Tony Fisher and Peter Roe.

When David's son Christopher started playing for the Cougar Cubs he became a coach with the junior teams, then became a coach for the Keighlians rugby union club.

David, now 50, moved to Ohio in 2006 and has since had a several jobs including designing floor and roof trusses.

He said that he had not done any running since competing in the London Marathon in 2004.

He said: “I decided that not doing nothing physical other than yard work and mowing, I'd get fit again at 50.

“I started training at a gym, Planet Fitness, for the Parkersburg News and Sentinel half marathon, on August 18.

“I hope to complete the gruelling 13 miles in one hour 45 mins. There will be runners from Africa, but I will be the only runner from the UK.”