A 70-year-old man will be running a marathon in his back garden to raise money for charity, after the London Marathon was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tony Hodgson, from Llanelltyd, was meant to be running the London Marathon this Sunday to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Trust, which affects quite a few of Tony’s friends.

This would have been Tony’s 14th London Marathon in total, but his first one since 2013.

But now Tony, who is a founding member of Meirionnydd Running Club, has decided to run a marathon in his back garden instead of the London Marathon.

Tony said: “Because I was 70, I thought it would be nice to see if I can do it. I don’t have the speed anymore, but I still have the ability.

“I did the Anglesey Half Marathon in March and won the over-70s age group, I did it in two hours and two minutes.”

On the cancellation of the London Marathon, Tony said: “I am sad. The marathon has been rescheduled for 4 October, but I am not convinced it will happen.

“There is a bit of disappointment, and now I’ve got out of the habit of training. I might be walking by the end.”

Tony has mapped out a 211-metre lap in his garden, and so will have to complete 200 laps in order to finish the marathon.

Tony said: “It won’t be quite like the real London Marathon, it is a great event and the atmosphere is great. I’ve done it again and again.

“It will be quite quiet here. But I’m going to put up banners on the gate so passers-by can give me a toot and we get a lot of people from the village walking past here. So, it will be nice to have a few people shouting over the gate.

“I am hoping to have some friends just coming to the gate cheering me on. Everybody is welcome to come and cheer me on, while keeping social distancing.

“It should be a good laugh, I’m not in a hurry.”

To donate to Tony’s fundraising effort for the Multiple Sclerosis Trust, go to https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TonyHodgsonmarathons