THIS April a former soldier will be pulling on his running gear and taking part in the London Marathon - something just two years ago he thought impossible.

Martin Reed-Darby, of Cotswold Road, Malvern, suffered a broken back when he was serving as a soldier in Afghanistan in 2009 leaving him paralysed for a short time.

The 27-year-old former gunner was injured when a marquee he was holding down was blown away by a landing helicopter, causing him to be tossed into the air.

But after years of rehabilitation Mr Reed-Darby is now preparing to run in the London Marathon for a charity close to his heart.

"I was briefly paralysed by the accident in 2012 and discharged from the army in 2012," said Mr Reed-Darby. "After the accident I was unable to sustain weight on my shoulders and other key things for a soldier.

"So my whole working life changed from being a gunner to paper work, which was quite disappointing and tough to cope with. As a result of not being able to pass military tests I was discharged."

Since then the former soldier has been recovering and re-discovered his love of running.

"I have had quite a long time off work to get used to normal life again and slowly trying to regain fitness.

"Running has always been a big part of my life and I wasn't been able to do it for a while."

For the last two years Mr Reed-Darby has been running again building up his strength.

But he only discovered he would be doing the marathon in January as he was chosen to fill a place and not in the first ballot.

"Initially I asked to run for Clik Sargent and I wasn't selected," he added. "But I was chosen in the end. I chose them because when I was a teenager we lost a friend to cancer and this charity did support him and his family at the time."

Now Mr Reed-Darby has to raise £1,800 in order to take part and is hoping people will support him.

"I am excited," he said. "I am running it with a friend, we are going to support each other on the way round."

To support Mr Reed-Darby visit justgiving.com/martin-reed-darby or go to a coffee morning being held on Saturday, March 21, from 10am until 1pm at the Eden Church in Somers Road, Malvern.