A YORK runner is taking on two marathons in three weeks - on two separate continents - to help a brain tumour charity.

Ben Reid, who ran in the Yorkshire Marathon in York on October 16, will enter the New York Marathon this weekend in a bid to raise £2,000 for OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity. 

Ben was close friends with Ian Hughes, of Dunnington, who helped set up the charity after his son Oscar Hughes died from a brain tumour in 2014, aged nine.

Ian later died from the same illness himself. as did Oscar's little brother Milo.

Ben, 46, of Dunnington, will put his running shoes back on in New York on Sunday - coincidentally the birthday of his mum Mandy, who also recently lost her life to cancer.

Ben said he saw the races as a very personal mission, which he hoped would not only raise money but also awareness of brain tumours. 

“It is so underfunded," he said. "There is such a lack of support. Yet it is the biggest cancer killer in people under 40.

"Running up and down is easy really, compared to having kids who have to suffer through brain tumours. They and their families need our support.”

He said that he and Ian had taken part in a 'fair few' charity challenges together. "If he was still here, he’d be telling me that I’m insane to try and run two marathons in such a short time," he said.

"Secretly he would also be very proud that I am doing it for the charity that he and Marie set up. 

"The work that OSCAR’s funds is so important to the children and families that are going through treatment and recovery from a brain tumour.”

Phil Martinez, Charity Manager of OSCAR's, said he had thought the charity's York marathon runners were amazing for taking on one feat of endurance.

"For Ben to take on another in such a short space of time is so inspiring," he said. "But that is Ben all over - he has done so much for charities over the years, in particular for OSCAR's, and we are so grateful to him."

He said Ben's eldest child, Maya, had been in Oscar's class. "He is very much a family man, and has three children, Maya, Connor and Bella who have all taken on a variety of challenges for the charity.

"They have all climbed Snowdon, Scafell and Ben Nevis and also ran the Inflatable 5k earlier this year. He is running with another good friend of both families, Sarah Gray. He will be joined by his wife Sharon, as well as Sarah and her husband Mike who will be cheering him on."

*To help Ben reach his £2,000 total, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/ben-reid-oscars