A 21-stone IT worker has conquered another hurdle in the run up to his marathon challenge.

Andy O’Neil, 45, from Sutton, is preparing to run the London Marathon in 2013.

As part of his training Mr O’Neil ran three miles in 47 minutes on Sunday March 25.

The run, which was along The Mall in central London, was all in aid of the Sport Relief challenge.

Mr O’Neil said: “Everyone along the route was incredibly supportive, the weather was beautiful and it felt fantastic to finish the three miles.

“I’m now looking forward to the next run in a couple of weeks - it’s five miles, which is a step-up in distance again, but I’m confident I can cope with it.”

Mr O’Neil began his training to run the 2013 marathon in January 2012, and since then has been running on a regular basis. He said he is amazed at all the support he is getting.

To keep track of Mr O’Neil’s progress, follow his blog at runforthebun.wordpress.com.