John and his pals raise £42,000 for poorly children

John is running marathons to raise money for young patients at Sheffield Children’s Hospital cancer ward.

The 60-year-old’s latest effort was to finish the Philadelphia Marathon in five hours.

Money raised by John is being added to fundraising by friends associated with his other passion – boxing.

John returned to the ring about 12 years ago – about the same time he took up running.

“They changed my heart medication and it changed everything,” he said.

Sheffield Boxing Centre at Hillsborough will today hand over a cheque to the hospital for more than £650.

The money takes the total amount raised so far by the boxing centre to more than £42,000.

“It’s a great figure,” John, of Endcliffe, Sheffield, said.

Charity nights and John’s marathons have combined to raise the funds.

John has come a long way since taking up running.

“My ambition in the early days was to run a mile without stopping,” he said.

He slowly progressed to half marathons and then to the full distance.

John’s first love was boxing and he fought at London’s York Hall – the ‘Wembley of Boxing’ – three times. In one bout he was knocked out, and the first thing he saw when he came around was Sir Henry Cooper picking him off the canvas!

Sir Henry told him: “That was brave, son.”