Dad Damion Godwin, who took inspiration from tragic death of his baby son to turn his life around, now hopes to encourage others to make a change.

Mr Godwin, 33, of Waiblingen Way, Devizes, was overweight and unfit when Kyle was born – and died moments afterwards – in March 2010.

Now he is captain of Devizes Running Club and the organiser of the Devizes 10k on March 15.

He said: “It was a terrible thing to happen, but I needed to try and make something good to come out of it. .

“If I was ever tempted to give up fitness, I would feel like I was letting Kyle down.”

Mr Godwin, a refuse collector for Wiltshire Council, believes others could benefit from his new outlook on life.

He said: “I am a completely different person now. Through the running club, I have become involved in so many different initiatives to get people of all ages fit.

“A few years ago, you would never have thought I would be doing something like organising the 10k.”

He is a trained coach and looks after the club’s junior athletes, runs the club’s Sofa to 5k beginners’ courses and is Wiltshire Road Race League secretary.

He said: “I was 151/2 stone and out of shape. I worked for Wiltshire Council as a loader on a dustcart and although I was running behind a lorry five days a week I was very unfit.

“My diet was shocking and my portion sizes didn’t help. I was always trying to lose weight, but just didn't know how. I tried diet pills and fad diets, which would last no longer than a couple of weeks”.

“I couldn’t keep up with my kids and was too lazy to even want to go on walks, let alone run around. I used to see people out running and couldn’t understand why anyone would find that fun”

Mr Godwin, who has three other sons – Jordan, 13, Damon, nine, and Brandon, eight – said the death of his baby was the worst moment of his life.

He said: “There was nothing to prepare us for what happened. I was out in town when I got a phone call to say there was a problem. My partner was taken by ambulance to hospital in Swindon, but Kyle died moments after he was born.

“This was the hardest thing I’ve had to face in my life and to top it all my relationship broke down a few months later. My world had fallen apart and I needed something to focus on.”

He started with boxing and did running to boost fitness, then game up boxing. He is now fitter, faster and four stones lighter.

“I wouldn’t have believed that I’d be co-directing the Devizes 10k. It’s a race that will put your fitness and stamina to the test, but the panoramic views are amazing and the final kilometre is fast and flat.”

His new partner, Carolyn Maw, has joined the club and completed a beginners’ course.

To enter the 10k race, go to www.entrycentral.com/Devizes10k_2015. For club information, see www.devizesrunningclub.org.uk