Bosses hand Bridgnorth charity runner £1,000

Dana Power took on the marathon for the fourth time this year - his first dressed as Puff the Asthma Dragon, the mascot for the charity Asthma UK.

Mr Power, of Cantreyn Drive in Bridgnorth, was running this year's marathon for Cameron's Fund, a special fund for the charity which raises money in memory of Cameron Brown, a two-year-old boy from the town who died of an asthma attack aged two.

As part of his fundraising, Mr Power was sponsored £1,000 by his employers at Bridgnorth Aluminium to help him boost the charity coffers.

He was presented with the cheque in a special ceremony at the company's premises on Stourbridge Road yesterday.

Although the 59-year-old is now a seasoned runner, he said taking on the 26 miles in full costume was hard work

He said: "It was difficult because it was very hot. It was hotter weather than usual.

"I did struggle a bit, there was a point in Canary Wharf where i was stopped by the BBC to do an interview and I couldn't get started.

"They didn't even show that in the end."

Mr Power completed his run in four hours and 51 minutes which he said he was very pleased with.

"It was under my target time," he said. "But I think I could've gone quicker."

Not content with the challenge, Mr Power will be taking on next year's marathon, not only in costume, but attempting to break the world record time for running in a full-body mascot outfit of three hours and 51 minutes.

He said: "I can do it quicker, but it is whether I can do it an hour quicker.

"I'm going to train and hopefully I can get close. I've already registered the attempt with the Guinness World Records."

He is also set to run this year's Philadelphia marathon in November to raise money for the Kelli Smith Appeal and memory of two-year-old Holly McCrossan from Claverley who died at the end of last year.

Bridgnorth Running Club, of which Mr Power is a member also handed over a cheque for £7,00 for Cameron's Fund earlier this month.