TEENAGER Jacob Kettle has proved to be a real marathon man -- at just 15 years old.

Despite the official age limit being 16, Jacob was determined to travel to New York and run alongside his dad, regular marathon man Paul, to raise money for terminally ill children.

So he put an incorrect date of birth on the application form and completed the gruelling 26 mile route.

His family believes he is one of the youngest people ever to successfully complete an official marathon event.

Now aged 16, Thornleigh Salesian College pupil Jacob finished the race held in autumn in an impressive four hours and 40 minutes.

His father Paul, aged 47, who owns Craft Care Ceramics dental laboratory on Manchester Road, has run numerous marathons and raised more than £30,000 for Dreams Come True -- a charity that provides holidays of a lifetime for terminally ill children.

This year, along with dental colleague Ian Rigby, aged 47, the trio raised £3,000.

Father of five, Mr Kettle, of Moss Bank Way, is now in training for this year's New York marathon in November, but Jacob intends to stick to his football.

Mr Kettle said: "I lost a brother to a terminal illness, so always run for Dreams Come True. I think it's only right for those who are able to, to help those who don't have a chance in life. Jacob did well, he trained hard, but he did say at the end of it that it would be his first and last marathon!

"My best time is three hours and 20 minutes. I intend to keep going year on year, as long as I can. Ian Rigby and I are running again this year and I'm trying to convince my middle son to join us."

Jacob said: "I might do it again when I'm older, but I think I'll have to rest for a few years first!" Mr Kettle's eldest son, Oliver, and nephew Wesley Nedderman also ran the New York Marathon in 2001, when they raised £2,600 -- which was almost doubled by an anonymous reader after the story appeared in the Bolton Evening News.

The Guinness Book of Records does not have a category for the youngest runner of a marathon.

Anyone who can sponsor the team should ring 01204 391465, or write to PK House, 69-73 Manchester Road, Bolton, BL2 1ES.

Mr Kettle is aiming to raise £5,000 this year and sponsors have been asked to donate 26p, £2.60, £26 or £260, depending on how much they can afford.

Marathon Facts:

The most competitors in a marathon was 38,706 in the Boston Marathon on April 15, 1996.

The oldest person to complete a marathon was Greek man Dimitrion Yordanidis who was 98 when he completed the Athens Marathon on October 10, 1976.

The oldest woman to complete a marathon was Jenny Wood-Allen, from Dundee, she was aged 90 and 145 days when she ran the London Marathon on April 14, 2002.

The fastest marathon runner is Ethiopian Belayneh Dinsamo, who ran in Rotterdam, Holland, on April 17 1988.

Norm Frank holds the record for the most marathons completed by one person -- he ran 525 marathons between 1967-95.