A SURVIVOR of child sexual abuse who volunteers for the NSPCC will run his first marathon to raise funds for the charity.

Rob Pugal, 66, endured almost 50 years of living with inner torment before he told anyone about his experience.

The grandfather is so determined that no individual should go through that alone that he now spends his free time visiting schools as an NSPCC volunteer, talking to children about how to stay safe from abuse.

On Sunday he will run the London Marathon so that even more children can be protected from abuse, such as he suffered.

Between the ages of 10 and 12, Mr Pugal was sexually abused by a family friend who had groomed him. As a child he knew what had happened to him was wrong but felt guilty and unable to tell his parents.

He lived with that shame and hurt until he was 60, when his wife and daughter contacted their doctor because he was in “a very dark place”.

Mr Pugal, who grew up in Newcastle, was given much-needed counselling and then decided he would report the abuse, but discovered the perpetrator had died.

The retired manager for a food manufacturing factory in County Durham, said: “I now most certainly do realise how incredibly difficult it can be for a child that’s being abused to make that very first move to speak out and tell a trusted adult or to pick up the phone and call Childline.

“Thankfully, I’ve now dealt with it but it took me until I reached 60 years old for it to happen.

“For 50 years I had that guilt – thinking that it was entirely my own fault. So, it just sat there deep inside of me for the whole of that time and I didn’t tell anyone.”

He adds: “I’ve pulled myself out of the other side, and I’m now well down the healing road. I know that I want to make the most of every minute that I have left to live.

“If I can help to stop just one child from being potentially abused - then, every minute I spend in local schools with my brilliant fellow NSPCC Schools Service volunteer colleagues is a blessing,

“I now also have the privilege of being a member of Team NSPCC in the London Marathon, which will be my first full marathon distance run.”

“My advice to any child who may be feeling sad, unhappy, worried or unsafe is please speak to a trusted adult or ring Childline.”

To sponsor Mr Pugal visit www.facebook.com/donate/1182062805271569.