Marathon challenge for James

●● James Paterson A KEEN Valley runner is preparing to achieve his life ambition by competing in this weekend’s London Marathon.

James Paterson, from Helmshore, will bid to complete a hat-trick of marathons after already completing the Barcelona Marathon on March 12 and the Manchester Marathon on April 2.

The 25-year-old, who works as a productivity manager at a plastic manufacturers in Bury, is raising money for the charity Crimestoppers and said it is a ‘cause worth supporting’.

He said: “My dad, uncle and grandfather all worked in law enforcement, so running for a charity that helps to keep communities safe seemed an obvious choice. It’s a great cause to fundraise for and I was delighted when I got a place to run for them.

“Some people at work think I’m a bit crazy running three marathons in less than two months, but staff and management have been really keen to back me up.”

“This is the first time I’ve run for a charity. I’m aware of exactly what crime does to people and their families, so going the extra mile – or miles – for Crimestoppers is a cause worth supporting.”