Romford barber Stuart Blakemore insists he will take no short-cuts on Sunday April 17 - when he plans to run the full distance of the London marathon.

The 40-year-old’s finishing time will be of interest to hundreds of customers who use the Richard Armstrong salon in Romford High Street, where he and dad Bernie work.

Stuart organised a sweepstake, where for �1 entry fee customers guess his exact marathon time with a �50 prize for the winner.

All the money raised will go to the National Autistic Society, as Stuart’s son, Ethan, suffers from the condition.

Stuart has been building up his stamina on training runs near his home in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

He will be running the course - more than 26 miles - with his younger brother Ian, a more experienced marathon runner.

“Running 26 miles will be tough, but we are both lifetime fans of Charlton Athletic FC, so Stuart is used to enduring long hours of sporting pain,” joked Bernie.

Anyone wishing to support Stuart should visit: justgiving.com/Daniel-Wellington