ELECTRICAL engineer Gary Wootton is attempting to run three half marathons in three weeks in a bid to raise money for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

The 41-year-old is attempting to run the Bath Half, Devizes Half and Longleat Half on consecutive weekends.

Mr Wootton, of Cowslip Close, Devizes, beat his target of completing the Bath course on Sunday in under two hours with a time of one hour 57 minutes.

He said: “It started with just the Bath Half and then my friend James, who I am running with, said what a challenge it would be for me to run all three for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

“I chose the charity as I have lived in Devizes all my life and I see how often this service is used every day, helping the people of Wiltshire.”

His next challenge this weekend is to beat his time for the Devizes Half marathon, completed last October, of two hours 10 minutes before taking on Longleat.

Mr Wootton said: “I am feeling all right after the first one, not too sore, but I still have two more to go.

“Longleat is going to be a brutality hilly course and for this I just want to get round in one piece.”

Mr Wootton, who has worked at Schneider in Chippenham for past 24 years, lives with wife of nine years Leah, 38, and eight-year-old son Charlie.

He is also planning to give a portion of the money raise to Bishops Cannings under eights football team, of which he has been coach of for the past three years, to get some extra winter kit.

Mr Wootton started running several years ago, after giving up Sunday morning football, and last weekend’s Bath half marathon was only the second one he has completed.

He has been training two to three times a week for the past three months to prepare and has raised just over £400 so far, through his Just Giving page and other donations, but is hoping to get to £500 by the end of the challenge.

He said: “I was originally hoping to raise £250, but now I have gone past that and raising £500 would be fantastic.

“Although I have never required the Wiltshire Air Ambulance myself I know of people that have, it saves lives.”

Mr Wootton has said his next challenge is likely to be a cycling one, organised by the Friends of Southbroom Infants, with possibilities including a cycle from Lands End to Devizes.

To donate go to www.justgiving.com/GaryWootton2015