An aspiring teenage Olympian hopes to change negative perceptions of young people as he prepares for a charity run.

Ryan Whitehead, from Abbotts Drive in Waltham Abbey, will raise money for the NSPCC when he takes part in a 5km “colour run” event at the O2 Arena next Sunday (September 4).

The 15-year-old decided to take part in the run after recently starting jogging following inspiration from the Olympics.

He is also a champion discus-thrower, ranked top in Essex and fifth in the UK, and he hopes to one day join team GB.

“I run every day and I go to the gym and I thought it would be good to put it to good use, try and raise money for the charity,” he said.

“I thought I would do something worthwhile.

“Not a lot of young people do it, a lot of people are quite surprised when I say I’m doing a charity run.

“They don’t really expect a 15-year-old to do it.”

His intense training regime currently involves about three hours in the gym every day, a one-hour run and two training sessions a week with the Enfield and Haringey Discus Club.

Ryan decided to run for the NSPCC after the charity was suggested by his mother Janice, 46.

“I’m very proud of him,” she said.

“He decided to put his running to good use.

“His commitment to this running and training, I think he is an inspiration.

“We are so proud of him because in this day and age you don’t get a lot of 15-year-old boys doing it.

“You hear a lot of negativity so I think it is great that he’s decided to dedicate his time to such a great cause.”

To sponsor Ryan and donate to the NSPCC, which fights child abuse in the UK, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Ryanwhitehead1.