A DAD from Bridgwater is running the London Marathon this year in memory of a friend of their son.

Simon Robinson will be running on April 13 for Lydia Biddlecombe, who passed away just after her fourth birthday.

Simon said: “We have known the parents for years and years, they are friends of our family. Our son, William, was born on their same week as Lydia.”

William is now five years old and his younger brother, Thomas, is two, and they’ve been cheering their dad on through his training.

Simon, who will be running for the Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal, said: “I started training around August last year. I had to start training before I knew if I was in the marathon because you don’t get told until the end of October.”

“The appeal I will be running for is to provide pioneering cardiac equipment allowing children to be treated in a one-stop operating theatre, rather than have multiple surgical procedures and scans over days or weeks.”

To sponsor Simon, you can donate at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/simon.robinson