A MAN whose war veteran father is registered blind is taking on a 26 mile challenge for the charity which helped him.

Nigel Huddleston from Southwick is joining thousands of runners at the London Marathon on Sunday.

The 51-year-old is aiming to raise £2,000 for Blind Veterans UK, a charity which supports blind ex-servicemen and women.

The charity has a rehabilitation centre at Ovingdean.

Mr Huddleston’s father Peter, 92, served in the Second World War and lives in Nottingham.

He said: “My father has gradually lost much of his vision through macular degeneration over the past few years.

“He has always been a very active man and an avid reader and his condition has made it difficult to do many of the things he loves and has previously taken for granted.

“Blind Veterans UK has given him a lot of support with equipment and gadgets to improve his quality of life and help him and my mum Margery continue to live independently.

“They have even given him IT training and helped him get online for the first time.

“The charity does all sorts of good work for former members of the armed forces who have become blind both in service and later in life.

“This includes rehabilitation and training to enable independent living, residential nursing and social care, and opportunities to participate in creative and sporting activities.”

A donation of £10 is enough to buy a talking watch for a blind veteran and £25 a long cane to help someone get out and about.

A £100 donation buys a mobile phone specifically designed for vision-impaired people.

Mr Huddleston is a freelance writer and has lived in and around Brighton since 1991.

He has run two Brighton Marathons and several Brighton half-marathons since taking up running in his forties.

To support his online fundraising page at virginmoneygiving.com/nigelhuddleston

Blind Veterans UK, previously known as St Dunstan’s, was founded in 1915 by Sir Arthur Pearson to provide lifelong support to those blinded in the First World War.

Since it has gone to help more than 15,000 ex-Service men and women who have lost their sight.