A FUNDRAISER took the the roads around Orsett today (Saturday, 25 April) to raise funds for hospitals that helped his nephew.

James Pinkerton was due to run in the London marathon, which should have taken place tomorrow but has now been postponed until October.

However, he was determined to still do his run and not waste his training so completed the 26 miles on local roads today. His route took him from Orsett to Basildon where he passed the hospital and through Stanford-le-Hope.

James will also take part in the London Marathon when it is run.

He is running and fundraising as a way to say thank-you to St Barts and the Royal London Hospitals and the NHS Trust who treated his nephew, Archie Hallett.

Archie, son of James' sister Anna, is now three and was born with tracheo-oesophageal fistula and was unable to swallow and breathe for himself.

Thanks to the hospital, says, James, his life has been transformed.

James added: "I'm fundraising for Barts Charity to support the incredible work, dedicated staff and wonderful patients of the hospitals of Barts Health NHS Trust: St Bartholomew's, The Royal London, Mile End, Whipps Cross and Newham.

"Your donation could help fund state-of-the-art equipment, innovative healthcare projects or ground-breaking research, which all helped Archie.

"Thank you for supporting me in helping to give back to transform the lives of other patients in hospitals, like the Royal London did Archie."

You can donate to James' fundraising effort here

Read how James fared here .