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Hospital worker Fred Barnes will be running his third and final London Marathon next month and hopes to raise plenty of money for the cancer patients he helps care for.

Fred plans to retire at Christmas, when he turns 60, from his job as a ward assistant at the pallative care cancer ward in Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, where he works looking after 34 cancer patients.

Fred previously worked as an x-ray courier and believes the miles he has walked around the hospital corridors over the years has aided his fitness training.

Fred last ran the marathon in 2003 with his daughter Faye, now 25, and before that in 1985. He was awarded a place last year but was allowed to carry it over to this year when a knee injury and a hernia operation forced him to pull out.

Fred was pictured in the Weekly News when he trained for his first marathon with Faye, then aged five, and again when they ran together almost 20 years later. Despite twice saying he would not run the marathon again, Fred of Cambridge Way, Haverhill, has decided to do it one last time, this year in aid of the ward where he works.

"I thought I would do it one last time before I retire and I thought it would be nice to raise the money for the ward this time. I did not start training until January, but it has been going well. I have been doing some good times." he said.

"I did 11 miles from Four Went Ways in 1 hour 37 minutes. I think walking round the hospital has helped. I always use the stairs not the lift."

Anyone who would like to sponsor him can ring 01440 761325