WITH his father suffering from Alzheimer s, one man is hoping to raise more than �3,500 for a dementia charity by completing three marathons in just five weeks. Richard Hazeldene, of Vardon Road in Stevenage, will begin his task in Rome on March 22, befor

WITH his father suffering from Alzheimer's, one man is hoping to raise more than �3,500 for a dementia charity by completing three marathons in just five weeks.

Richard Hazeldene, of Vardon Road in Stevenage, will begin his task in Rome on March 22, before competing in Paris on April 5 and London on April 26.

Richard, 43, who will be running on behalf of the Alzheimer's Society, told The Comet he chose the charity after his father was diagnosed with the condition last year.

He said: "Life within the family has changed immensely now.

"It has had a far reaching effect on all of us, not just my father."

Richard described the running challenge as "enormous" and has recently joined Fairlands Valley Spartans running club, which has set him a training programme to help him achieve his goal. He said: "I've been training hard for this since October and am hoping to be able to carry this off and still be in one piece!"

Jo Swinhoe, for the Alzheimer's Society, said: "As a charity we rely on the generosity of individuals like Richard to help us care for people today and find a cure for tomorrow.

"One in three older people will end their life with a form of dementia.

"It is more than just memory loss - it robs people of their lives and has a devastating impact on families and loved ones."

She added: "Please back Richard in his fundraising efforts so that we can continue leading the fight against dementia."

The Mohan Tandoori Restaurant in Stevenage's Old Town has already pledged �300 and Richard is looking for more businesses and individuals to stump up sponsorship.

To sponsor Richard go to www.justgiving.com/richards335challenge or call him on 07811 592349.