Running the streets of London in the cold, dark winter months isn’t exactly the most appealing way to train.

So a secondment to his firm’s office in Perth, Australia, provided the perfect opportunity for Andrew Primett to get some warm weather training in before the big day.

Andrew, who works for global law firm Clyde and Co, signed up for a charity place to support Richard House Children’s Hospice after hearing about the Beckton charity’s work through his job.

He said: “With the link to my firm, and as someone that works and lives in east London I felt it was a charity that I had a direct link to and I would be proud to run for and raise as much money as possible for.

“Seeing the support they provide including both residential and day clinical care, activity days and pre and post bereavement counselling and the fact that they need to raise £3 million this year to continue to provide this support, I felt obliged to go a little way in helping them to achieve this target.”

Andrew had wanted to run the London Marathon since his school days, and had applied unsuccessfully for several years.

Shortly after the 26-year-old signed up for a charity place, he moved to Australia for a few months, where he managed to forge some scenic routes into his training routine.

“The heat in Perth has been the best and worst part of training,” he said.

“Running along the Swan River or the numerous beaches in Perth has made training more a fun activity than a chore.

“Although the high temperatures has made the longer runs much harder than expected.”

An injury following a half marathon in October put Andrew, of Whitechapel, out of action until January, but since then he has run the equivalent of London to Edinburgh.

Andrew has set himself a target of three and a half hours to beat, despite not being much of a runner.

“I played football but I was more focussed on avoiding the embarrassment of being substituted before half time due to a lack of fitness,” he said.

“But it is the donations I have received which keeps me going because you don’t want to let people down.”

To sponsor Andrew, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndrewPrimett