BRIDPORT Policeman Brian Puttock's London Marathon will be a wish come true - for him and, he hopes, lots of children.

 

He is running not only because it's on his own wish list but to make wishes come true for children with life-limiting illnesses,

 

He's chosen to run for the Make-a-wish charity and wants to raise at least £2,000.

 

He said: "They are a charity that grants wishes for children with very bad or terminal illnesses and they do things like go and watch the X factor judges, or meet their heroes or go somewhere or do something that is significant to them just to give them a little 'get out' from how they are feeling."

 

PC Puttock put running a marathon on his 'before I'm 50 list' and is well ahead of schedule being only 43.

 

He said: "I stopped smoking a few years ago and decided I'd put the marathon on my list of things to do before I am 50."

 

He applied a couple of years ago but didn't get in but persistence is the name of the game and applied again and Make a Wish chose him.

 

Although his previous experience with running was limited to a few miles as a warm up in the gym before weight training he's been enjoying his training and was up to half marathons within a few months.

 

He's already run the Burton Bradstock and Weymouth half marathons and is up to 18 miles on his training runs.

 

He added: "To keep a certain level of fitness for a half marathon takes a few hours a week but when you are doing a full marathon you've got to double the time you are training and it is hard to find the time with shift work and we have a nine-month-old daughter and she takes up a bit of time!"

 

He's also got to find time for fundraising. He's already at £400 and is hoping his big quiz night and raffle at The New Inn in Shipton Gorge on Saturday April 1 at 7.30pm will go some way to his target.

 

He's managed to persuade a lot of local companies to give him good prizes so he is hopeful it will be a big help.

 

PC Puttock moved here from Sandhurst and at the age of 29 turned his back on his electronic degree and a lucrative salary with mobile phone giant Nokia to become a policeman and has served the community of west Dorset for 14 years - five in Weymouth and nine in Bridport.

 

it is not a decision he regrets.

 

He said: "It I got to a point when I was 29 when I thought did I want to sit behind a desk until i was 65 or should I do something I'd always wanted to do and I love it."

 

If you want to help PC Puttock reach his target go to virginmoneygiving.com/brianputtock or go to his quiz night.

 

"It should be a cracking night," he said.