CHIPPENHAM firefighter Paul Hanlon is running the London marathon on Sunday for British Dalmatian Welfare.

Mr Hanlon, 37, is a watch manager at the Chippenham station and has worked there for 14 years.

He is used to running, as when on call he has two-and-a-half minutes to get out of bed and the same to get from his house to the station.

His two Dalmatians Rosie and Dom are also mad on running and accompany him on his training sessions.

Both are rescue dogs from the Dalmatian Welfare rehoming charity, which is represented in the London Marathon solely by Mr Hanlon and he has already raised more than £1,800.

“The charity BDW is special to me and my family as we have rescued four Dalmatians in total, three of which were placed with us by BDW,” he said.

His wife Kerrie, 43, of Dallas Road, Chippenham, said: “They’re endurance dogs and will just run all day, they were originally bred to run alongside carriages to protect the horses.

“As soon as the trainers come out they’re ready at the door, raring to go.

“Dom, who’s nearly three, went a full 22 miles with Paul and when they got back the dog looked like he’d just run around the block, unlike Paul.

“Rosie doesn’t go as far as Dom. We took her in at five months thinking she wouldn’t survive as she has a heart condition, but she’s 14 months now, every day is a bonus.”

She said when the dogs are rehomed the former owners are kept imformed of how they are. "It may be a heartbreaking time for them but they get reassurance that they've done the right thing for their dog," she said.

It is Mr Hanlon's first full marathon, though he has done Bristol and Bath halves. He is hoping to complete it in under four hours and in training has completed 22 miles in three hours 20 minutes.

Donations can be made at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/PaulHanlon1