JOURNEYS home from work have proven a little more wearisome than usual for a Stourbridge man who has been ditching his car every Monday to run the 11-mile route for charity instead.

Quantity surveyor Tony Arnold has been running from his office at Intersection House in West Bromwich back home to Stourbridge once a week for the last 14 weeks in an effort to raise cash for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.

The 35-year-old from Witton Street, Norton, said: "It’s very much an inconvenience, as I have to leave my car at work and find a way to get to work the next morning - normally by my partner taking me to work."

Tony decided to raise money for the children's hospital as he is part of the team at Interserve which is building a new world class cancer and rare disease hospital next to the current hospital and which is also fundraising for the cause.

To top off his own intrepid fundraising feat - Tony is set to challenge himself to complete the Stafford Half Marathon on Sunday March 19.

Over the last few weeks he has endured some pretty gruelling runs in challenging weather conditions but having quickened his run home each time he is on course to complete the half marathon in less than 90 minutes.

He said: "I have ran this half marathon twice before but with times of 1 hour 47 minutes and 1 hour 35 minutes - so I am hoping with the right preparation, a week’s rest and with the race atmosphere that I will beat this target."

Tony, who has also been juggling his training with playing football for Enville FC on Saturdays, has also already topped his fundraising target of £1,000 and hasn't even completed his challenge yet.

He is set to run home from work one final time on Monday and then plans to rest up until the big day.

Anyone wishing to boost his fundraising efforts can do so online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Tony-arnold5