A MAN who has lost more than a third of his body weight will run his first marathon in memory of his wife this weekend.

Dave Beevers, of Smithills, has already lost almost nine stones since January through training for the Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday, the city where his wife Diane spent her childhood.

When Mr Beevers’ wife Diane — a former licensee of the old Sally Up Steps pub in Chorley Old Road — lost her six-year battle with breast cancer, Dave weighed a massive 24 stones.

To donate to Dave’s appeal visit justgiving.com