Nottingham Forest fan with MND to take on marathon

Mr Perkins will be pushed in his wheelchair by Chrissie Wellington

A terminally-ill Nottingham Forest fan with motor neurone disease (MND) is to take on the London Marathon.

Sam Perkins, 41, will tackle the event in the capital in April.

Mr Perkins, who will be pushed in his wheelchair by four-times Ironman world champion Chrissie Wellington and a support team, believes he is one of the few people on a ventilator to compete at the marathon.

So far more than £4,000 has been pledged to a charity he co-founded.

Mr Perkins, from East Leake near Loughborough, is one of only 10 people who have been given a place as an assisted competitor in the 2023 race.

He will be pushed round by a four-strong team, including Ms Wellington, as he has lost all movement and needs a ventilator to keep him breathing.

He said: "Being out and about, effectively on a piece of life support equipment, has risks that come with it, but it's a matter of determination and positivity.

"As far as we are aware, I am the first person to attempt an assisted marathon while being completely reliant on a ventilator.

"I'm going to give it a go but I might be a wreck by the end of it."

Mr Perkins, a project manager, was diagnosed with the severely degenerative condition that affects nerves in his brain and spinal chord, in 2019.

Since then he has raised more than £130,000 for research into curing MND as well as palliative care causes.

Sam - pictured here with his parents - believes he is the first person reliant on a ventilator to take on the event

Ms Wellington said: "He (Sam) is utterly inspirational.

"It's an honour to be part of a team that enables Sam to realise a dream."

A spokesperson for Stand Against MND, the charity Mr Perkins co-founded, said: "Sam sets an exceptionally high standard of commitment and dedication to both raising awareness of motor neurone disease and funds to support research into a cure and palliative care.

"The challenge is another stellar example of Sam pushing the limits of what can be achieved, despite living with such a debilitating and aggressive disease.

"We're proud to have him as our inspirational figurehead and are excited to support him and the team on race day."