A Portland College student who was set to make history at the London Marathon earlier this year is appealing for sponsorship as he tackles a 26-mile charity fundraiser.

Matthew Humphreys, 22, suffered a brain injury aged 10 and now has a disability similar to cerebral palsy – quadriplegic dystonia.

He was going to be the first athlete to complete the London Marathon on a racerunner – a supportive running frame – before the event was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now Matthew, of Swadlincote, is to run the virtual London Marathon for Scope on Sunday, 4th October around Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, with family and friends supporting him.

His mum, Sarah, said: “This has been an extremely hard experience for him. He’s doing brilliantly but has had to do it alone or with just family and friends driving him to training.”

Scope provides practical and emotional information and support for disabled people and their families as well as campaigning for equality and fairness for all disabled people.

Matthew is no stranger to fundraising and sport.

He has twice represented his country at the Cerebral Palsy World Games, in Nottingham in 2015 and San Cugat, Spain, in 2018, where he received a gold medal in the 400m.

A Cerebral Palsy Sport Young Ambassador, he represented Cerebral Palsy Sport during a BBC Children In Need rickshaw challenge and is a fully qualified level 2 coach for athletics.

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