A FIRST aider will run next year's London Marathon in memory of his friend and colleague who died at the age of just 37

Huw Mellor will raise cash for St John Ambulance after the chartered town planner's colleague Rob Froud-Williams died after suffering a heart attack in August.

Mr Mellor, 51, a workplace first aider from Fernham, near Faringdon, was in his office when Mr Froud-Williams had a heart attack.

Mr Mellor provided first aid and reassurance to his friend until the emergency services arrived.

But Mr Froud-Williams went into cardiac arrest and passed away, leaving behind his wife Nic and their three children Katy, Amy and Ben.

Mr Mellor said: "Rob was my friend and my work colleague, but my friend above all.

"We’d often have friendly banter when the England Rugby team beat my team Wales.

"I and everyone else who knew him miss him a lot.

"I happen to be one of the office’s first aiders and happened to be in the office that day.

"I’m so grateful to St John Ambulance as they gave me the skills to try to help and to be there at a desperate time.

"I think it helped Rob’s family too, knowing someone he knew was there with him and he was being helped right to the end and was made as comfortable as was possible in the circumstances.

"That’s why I want to run for St John Ambulance. To raise money for the charity and to give a little back to them.

"I’m running most of all for Rob of course and for Rob’s family to put some more memories out there for them."

Mr Mellor is a keen runner having completed his first Ultramarathon this year called ‘Race to the Stones’, which is a 100km trail run along the ancient Ridgeway route from Watlington to the stone circle at Avebury in Wiltshire.

He is now urging others to join St John Ambulance’s team of runners to support the work of the first aid charity.

In this year’s marathon, more than 200 St John Ambulance runners raised more than £250,000 to support the charity’s life saving work.

It has also provided first aid for the marathon throughout the race's 36-year history.

The charity still has spaces available to runners willing to fundraise as part of a 240-strong team signed up to run in next year's race on April 23.

To sponsor Mr Mellor visit justgiving.com/fundraising/huw-mellor1