A Clapham man, who vowed “never again” after completing the London Marathon, has had a change of heart.

Oliver Hyne, 26, is inspired by a childhood friend who was diagnosed with a brain tumour as an infant.

He will take part in this year’s event and raise money for the Brain Tumour Research charity.

Having previously completed marathon for the charity in 2016, Oliver is once again taking on the event to raise vital funds in the name of his friend Charlie Boutwood, who he first met when they were both aged five at school in Eastbourne, Sussex.

Oliver said: “I promised myself I would not run a marathon again but knowing that I could help make a difference drew me back in.

"Charlie miraculously recovered from a malignant brain tumour but I know that for many people this isn’t the case. It’s a shocking fact that less than 20 percent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50 percent across all cancers.”

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.

Despite this, historically just 1 percent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this disease.

Charlie underwent surgery to remove a medulloblastoma brain tumour when he was just 20 months old and remarkably recovered after intensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Now aged 27, Charlie, lives in Chelsea and works at JC Decaux. After his diagnosis, his father Nigel set up Charlie’s Challenge, a member charity of Brain Tumour Research, which has raised more than £1million for research into paediatric brain tumours.

Oliver said: “By running and fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, I want to improve patients’ chances of surviving the disease and also raise awareness about how vital research into brain tumours is.

“It’s going to be a huge challenge for me as I’m a lumbering 18 stone bloke, certainly not built for marathon running.

"However, it’s an incredible experience and the crowds and the fact I am running for such a worthy cause will, I am sure, help to propel me over the finishing line.”

To make a donation to Oliver’s fundraising go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/oliver-hyne