A 53-YEAR-OLD man plans to complete the London, Edinburgh and Dublin marathons for charity this year, as well as the Great North Run.

David Lewis, of Coldweather Avenue, Nelson, has raised more than £9,000 for various charities in the last three years and hopes to raise at least £10,000 this year.

He has already started to plan fundraising events in the run-up to this year's ambitious challenge.

He said: "In the case of the London Marathon I'll be running for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, because a friend's husband died of it 18 months ago and a ceilidh will be held in mid-March to tie in with this.

"Edinburgh and Dublin will be for Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle, where my wife, Joyce, manages the nursing operation. It is close to my heart because it is such a needy cause.

"The Great North Run will be for the Arthritic Research Campaign. "I'm running four or five times a week, between 35 and 40miles, but there's also gym work involved."

Mr Lewis has organised a concert starring guitarist Gordon Giltrap at the Burnley Mechanics, on Thursday, March 27, with all proceeds going to the hospice.

Tickets for the event, priced £10, can be bought from the Mechanics box office on 01282 664400.