AS THOUSANDS of others pound the pavements of London during this Sunday's marathon, one Loughton resident will be completing the final steps of a gruelling training regime.

Paul Howard is forgoing the famous UK race for Hamburg in Germany next Sunday, where the veteran jogger will take on his sixteenth 26 miles.

He will be running in support of Epping Forest Foodbank in Loughton, which has handed out more than 2,800 emergency supply parcels since its opening in 2013.

Mr Howard said: "Although I had already had my secured my place in the Hamburg race, I decided that it was a good opportunity to raise funds for the Epping Forest Foodbank, where my wife Pippa is a volunteer.

"Over 90 care professionals refer clients to the service and around 60 volunteers are engaged in the Foodbank activities.

"This also includes connecting people to access local services for additional support, a 'food in school holiday's club' along with a drop in and advice centre.

"In the current climate more families find themselves in difficult situations and funds continue to be required to support this service."

To donate go to mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/paulhoward2