Great North Run: Ashington man to carry 40kg tumble dryer

Stephen Sinclair climbed Scafell Pike in the Lake District as part of his training

A man told he might never exercise again after a life-threatening blood clot is taking part in the Great North Run carrying a 6st (40kg) tumble dryer.

Stephen Sinclair, 35, from Ashington, Northumberland, will tackle the half marathon route from Newcastle to South Shields on Sunday.

He is raising money for the North East Autism Society (NEAS) because his four-year-old son Frankie is autistic.

He completed the event barefoot last year, raising £1,500 for the charity.

This year, the oil and gas industry worker wanted to do something different and got the idea for his latest fundraising effort when he spotted an old tumble dryer in his shed.

"We were about to throw it out, but it kept staring at me, and before I knew it I was cutting the straps off an old hiking bag, attaching them to the tumble dryer and running down the back lane," he said.

Mr Sinclair takes the tumble dryer in his car for his training runs

Mr Sinclair suffered the blood clot when he was seven. Doctors were close to amputating his left leg and said any further delay in treatment might have been fatal.

His training has included climbing Scafell Pike in the Lake District, something he described as "the hardest thing I've ever done".

He is a keen adventurer who has already conquered some of the world's toughest peaks, including Machu Picchu and Kilimanjaro, as well as reaching the base camp of Mount Everest.

His original target was £2,000 and whatever he raises will be split between NEAS and his son's school in Ashington.

Mr Sinclair hopes to cross the Great North Run finishing line with his little boy in his arms.

He said: "Wherever he goes, he's just into everything, he wants to play with everything, and have it all out on the floor but he's the most gentle, loving, happy little boy in the world. He's the reason I'm doing this"