A CENTRE in Worcester which supports adults with complex needs held a special event to thank a marathon runner for his fund-raising efforts.

The Myriad Centre, St George's Walk, provides daytime educational and recreational facilities for adults with severe and multiple learning difficulties in Worcestershire. The charity held a thank you afternoon for David Phillips, who completed a 40-mile run in seven hours 55 minutes, and raised over £1,000 for the centre. Mr Phillips, aged 38, who is a staff nurse at the critical care unit at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, found out about the centre through a colleague whose son benefits from the facilities.

"It is such a small charity and so little is heard about it so I decided to do the Tring to Town run and raise money for the centre," he said.

The run, earlier this month, started from Tring in Hertfordshire and finished in Richmond, London.

Mr Phillips said: "I started to hurt at 25 miles and by 35 miles it was really painful."

Maggie Allen, centre manager, said: "It was an amazing feat especially if you consider David once smoked. In his own words he swapped one addiction - smoking - for another - running.

"There is no end to his ambition as his next goal is a triathlon."