A Llandrindod Wells grocer has achieved the marathon challenge he set himself in the autumn of last year to run five sponsored marathons in a month.

Michael Hodges, of Tremont Stores ran a total of  135 miles, and raised money for Bracken Trust the cancer support centre in the town.

Michael is no stranger to marathon running, having completed 129 marathons for charities.

He started with a walk across Wales for St John Ambulance in 1988 and then started marathon running in 1993 with the London Marathon.

He was the first member in Powys of the 100 Marathon Club.

Now he has raised more than £2,100 as a result of the five sponsored marathons and is seen presenting £1,750 to Reg Cawthorne, the chairman of Bracken Trust. The rest of the money raised will go to other cancer charities.

At the same time Michael shows him some of the T-shirts and medals he has gained as a result of his efforts

He began his present challenge with the Nottingham Marathon and finished with the Snowdon Marathon.

In between he ran the Atlantic Challenge, which is three separate marathons run over three days from Padstow to Lands End a total of 86 miles – a marathon a day.

He did the challenge, which he has set himself, in memory of his late father Donald Hodges.

Mr Hodges Snr lost his battle with cancer three years ago and who had a great deal of support from Bracken Trust. He says that the Bracken Trust is an excellent support group for many people battling cancer and many other challenging illnesses on a daily basis, so to run, walk or crawl five marathons to raise money for this amazing centre seems such a small effort to make.