A CAUSE close to his heart helped to spur Mark Weaving on when he ran the Brighton Marathon.

The 41-year-old, of Thames Avenue, completed the 26.2 mile challenge last weekend to raise money for the Alzheimers Society.

Mark, who has raised more than £400, ran in memory of his mother, Margaret, of Eldene, who died in January after suffering from Alzheimers for several years.

“There is a point in the marathon when you start to think ‘I have had enough’, but in the end the crowd helped a lot and I just kept putting one leg in front of the other,” he said.

“You just try to keep going and it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are going.”

Mark said thinking about the money he was raising helped to spur him on.

“What happened with my mum made me want to raise money. She got to the point where she didn’t know anybody,” he said.

“I want my fundraising to help other people. It is one of those illnesses that seems to get forgotten. I am going to try to do more fundraising, but I am having a rest at the moment.”

Mark finished the marathon in five hours and 20 minutes, even though he injured his foot while he was training.

He is hoping to organise a Swindon to Lands End walk to raise more money.

To sponsor Mark, search for Mark Weaving on www.justgiving.com.