A SPONSORED marathon has raised over £1,000 towards the provision of a special schoolroom for an autistic Pembroke Dock boy.

Forty-six-year-old Paul Lloyd, of School Terrace, Monkton, put his best foot forward on Bank Holiday Monday as he ran from Pembroke Dock to Tenby and back in a bid to help meet the projected £2,000 cost of a facility to enable four-year-old Lee Bearne, of 43 High Street, Pembroke Dock, to be taught at home.

Setting off from Lee's home, Paul ran to Tenby via Pembroke, Lamphey, Manorbier, Lydstep and Penally.

On reaching Tenby Leisure Centre, he then headed back to the Co-op, Pembroke Dock, via Gumfreston, Sageston and Milton, a total distance of 23 miles.

On the last lap, at the First and Last public house, all the customers came out on to the pavement to cheer Paul on, and the landlord presented Lee's mother, Sally-Anne, with a cheque for £100 which was on top of the sponsorship money collected at the pub itself during the run-up to the event.

This was a great encouragement to Paul, and an enormous lift to the final amount collected, and thanks are extended to everyone at the First and Last for their generosity.

Thanks also go to Carmen and Jeannie Foster and Stephen Ross, who collected £196.18 in buckets around the streets during and after the run.

In total, over £1,200 has been collected to date, with money still coming in.

Paul, who works in the Job Centre, Pembroke Dock, completed the run in 2 hours 55 minutes.

Since the marathon took place, windows and doors have been donated for the special schoolroom and the family are now appealing for anyone with any surplus building materials, such as cement and blocks, to to contact them.

Anyone who is able to help is asked to contact Sally-Anne on (01646) 681920 (after 6 pm).