Horsham's marathon man Charlie completes Chasing Numbers Christmas Cracker

Jakub Junior's battle with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, a fast-growing and aggressive type of blood cancer, and his dad's struggle to keep up with the cost of treatment touched so many hearts that Charlie, Horsham FC's programme editor and match reporter, ran carrying more than £7,000-worth of pledges of support on his Go Fund Me page should he complete the marathon.

And he did, coming home in around 4 hours 20 minutes, a thoroughly respectable time for a 63-year-old whose previous marathon had been 14 years previously.

He said: "I'm so, so pleased that, thanks to the wonderful generosity of so many people and my knees standing up to the task, we have been able to significantly help young Jakub.

"This means so much to his dad, who has been beside himself in trying to meet the cost of medical bills and vital treatment, and consequently finding himself in debt.

"He is working all hours to pay off those debts, but costs are ongoing and the cancer is unforgiving. This provides so much hope for a future that is uncertain.”

Jakub represented Liverpool, Southend, Plymouth Argyle, Torquay and Yeovil in a ten-year playing career.

He said: "I am nearly speechless with emotion. I almost cannot believe the generosity of Charlie and hundreds of strangers in showing such love to my boy.

"I would like nothing more than to be able to meet each and every one who has supported us, to say thank you personally. You will never know how much this means to us."

If anyone wants to add to Charlie's fundraising total, he is keeping his Go Fund Me page open until Christmas Eve for further contributions.

To support Charlie you can visit his GoFundMe page at gofund.me/3d651b1f