A car service manager who has run the equivalent of the length of Britain in training for the New York Marathon hopes to raise more than £2,500 for charity.

Jon Hale, 32, from Oxford, will be pounding the streets of New York on November 5, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief. He decided to take up the charity challenge after losing his uncle to the disease earlier this year.

It is one of the toughest marathon courses in the world with the route taking Mr Hale across five bridges and through all five districts in the Big Apple.

He began training eight months ago and has now clocked up 900 miles - it is 874 miles from John O'Groats to Land's End.

During his final weeks of training he has run 30 miles a week and took part in the White Horse Marathon around Wantage earlier this year.

He said: "I am lucky to be taking part in the New York Marathon because it means training during the spring and summer, as opposed to taking part in the London Marathon which means running in the cold and dark.

"My greatest worry has been picking up an injury, but everything has held up well.

"It is my first trip to the US and my first marathon. I am looking forward to running over the bridges and it'll be great to finish in Central Park."

Mr Hale said he had done his '900 mile warm up' by himself.

He added: "I have always found it easier to go running on my own. If you go with other people you tend to talk and that affects how I run."

He is hoping to run the race in under four hours and says he will be extremely happy if he manages to do it in 3hrs 30 or less.

Mr Hale has received sponsorship from customers and colleagues at Motorworld in Botley.

To sponsor Mr Hale see www.justgiving.com/jonhale