A first-time London Marathon runner has raised almost £5,000 to help prevent child cruelty.

Oliver Knight, of Gladstone Road, Wimbledon, stormed through the 26.2 mile course in just 3 hours and 26 minutes, raising nearly £1,000 more than his original target for national children’s charity NSPCC.

The 28-year-old chartered surveyor spent months training in Richmond Park and Wimbledon Park said: “I did lots of running in the snow and ice – it made quite a big difference on the day as it was so hot.

“I’m still hobbling but it’s improving as the week goes on. The highlight of the race was the atmosphere of the crowd, it was a good day.”

The NSPCC helps to improve the lives of vulnerable children in the UK and the money raised from the marathon will help to fund the charity’s ChildLine, a national helpline for adults worried about a child.

To donate to Oliver’s fund go to: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/oliverknight