A BLIND veteran from east Durham has completed a half marathon for charity that helped him get his life back on track.

David Cranson, 63, of Deaf Hill, competed in the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-service men.

It was his 23rd fundraising challenge since joining the charity 2007 - bringing the total he has raised to £2,312.

Mr Cranson, who suffers from bilateral optic atrophy, said: “The London crowds were as fantastic as ever.

“People were recognising the name on my vest and the support was endless.

“My guide, James, even said he was astonished at the number of people shouting for me.

“I’ve now been with the charity for over ten years and they’ve truly got my life back on track.”

Mr Crasnson, who served in the Royal Artillery from 1971 to 1975, began his fundraising endeavours with the famed 100k London to Brighton challenge on the back of a tandem.

Since then, he’s completed eight Olympic distance triathlons, four sixty-mile tandem drives, three Great South Runs, three Brighton Half Marathons, one Royal Parks Half Marathon, one London Marathon, one Brighton Marathon and one South Downs Way 75-mile five-day trek.

He said: “There’s no stopping me now. It’s just been a tremendous journey.”