MENTION crisps, sweets, chips and alcohol to Bacup postman Dale Connearn and he will turn his nose up -- albeit rather reluctantly.

For the father-of-three has said no to a host of goodies most of us couldn't live without -- especially chocolate -- and lost three stones so that he can be in peak condition when he completes his next marathon.

With three runs already under his belt, he should have no problem with the distance, but this time he will also have jet lag to contend with, as he is undertaking the New York Marathon on November 5!

Dale, 33, of Bankfield Street, Stacksteads, said: "I have two major targets for this marathon, the main one is for me to complete a marathon in less than three hours.

"With each of my marathons I have improved my personal best with times of 3hrs 28mins 29secs, then 3hrs 14mins 57secs and 3hrs 8mins 28secs.

"Because I have gone close to my target, I know that to achieve it will need everything I have got, this is why I have been training since January 3 this year. I have also not touched a drop of alcohol, no sweets, chocolate, crisps, chips, fizzy drinks or cakes either.

"I have gone from 12stone 3lbs when I started training to weighing just 9stone 6lbs now! I am hoping this will give me the little bit extra that I need to achieve my target. I have also decided to continue without all these luxuries for a whole year just for the hell of it."

His second target is to raise more than £2,000 for Get Kids Going! and he is appealing for sponsorship.

The charity gives disabled children a chance to participate in marathons, tennis, athletics, skiing, rugby and other sports by providing them with specially-built sports wheelchairs.

Get Kids Going! also provides personalised wheelchairs, trikes and other mobility aids for children to use every day at home and school and to enable them to play out with friends.

Sponsor forms for Dale's marathon run are available at offices and shops throughout Bacup at Britannia, Greenhill, Stacksteads, Change and Lee Mill Post Offices; Hooley's electrical store, Martin's Paper Shop and The Butty Shop.