Bo'ness man Eddie Hughes has raised an incredible £65,000 for charity

And the 64-year-old marathon man has no plans on giving up any time soon!

His ambition is to bag the world’s six major marathons by 2025 and continue running in fundraising events until he tops the £100,000 mark for cancer charities.

In 2023, Eddie took on the Edinburgh half marathon in May and the Chicago marathon on Sunday, October 8.

Of that event, he said: “It was an incredible experience – just like New York. The atmosphere just blew me away; it’s like a different planet.

“People line the streets all along the route and help get you round when you feel like you can’t go any further.”

His efforts in 2023 raised £4050 – £2500 of which has been donated to Breast Cancer Now and £1550 to the Children’s Tumour Foundation.

This year, he’ll be taking on the Great North Run and the Glasgow half marathon – both for Breast Cancer Now – and in 2025 he hopes to bag the world’s big six.

Having already completed London, Berlin, New York and Chicago, he needs Boston and Tokyo to complete his dream; he didn’t win a place at Boston this year but he’s determined to do them both in 2025.

He said: “Tokyo is in March and Boston is April – I’ll turn 66 in the middle of that. I’ll be over the moon if I can complete the six majors in 2025.

“I think I’ll stay closer to home after that but I plan to keep raising funds until I hit the £100,000 for charity. There are folk running marathons in their 70s and 80s so I don’t see why not but I’ll be sticking to Europe.”

He first started his charity challenge to pay tribute to his sister-in-law Moira Kirkham and his friend Robert Grant’s mother, Violet Davidson, who both passed away from cancer. Every year since, he has selected two worthy causes – one of which is always a cancer charity.

Eddie was sadly made redundant from James Donaldson Timber in Falkirk just before Christmas. He has worked as a machine man in saw and papermills for 40 years, his first at Westfield Paper Mill lasting 23 years.

He hopes to find gainful employment in 2024 – as he’s “too young” to retire – but, until he does, the extra spare time will be spent staying fit.

Eddie, of Borrowstoun Place, regularly runs eight miles, three days a week. When a marathon is looming, he ups that to 20 miles – along the canal towpath from Linlithgow to the Falkirk Wheel.

His charity efforts are supported by his wife Elaine, their children Lauren (39) and Mark (36) and grandchildren Rosie (9) and Oliver (6).

Eddie has been supported over the years by friends, colleagues and businesses.

He added: “I couldn’t raise so much without their support and backing.”

Eddie would like to thank his main 2023 sponsors Barracuda Takeaway, David Robertson Construction, Ecosse Automotive, Riddell’s Garage, James Baillie Training, Bellsburn Motor Services, Derek Heeps Haulage, DM Commercials, Platform 3, David Paterson, Paul Rolfe estate agent, Steven Allison’s Players Lounge, Cha McAlloon, Robbie McGregor, Derek Sim, Shine Car Care, Water and Pipeline Services Ltd, Westport Veterinary Clinic and TSB Falkirk.