HIS son was born with a cataract and now Paul Todd wants to repay the hospital that treats him.

Next month, Paul, from Basingstoke, will run the first marathon of his life when he takes part in the London Marathon in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

His four-year-old son Oliver, who was born with a cataract in one eye, has been treated at the hospital since he was just eight weeks old.

The rare condition, which affects around 200 new-borns every year, impacts on the way in which light passes into the eye.

Oliver had an operation to remove the lens in his eye and replace it with an artificial one when he was just a couple of months old.

Specialist opticians at GOSH fitted baby Oliver with tiny glasses and four years on he is still a regular visitor to the hospital, where they check his progress. He still wears a patch on his good eye for around six hours per day to strengthen his weaker right eye. Paul, 37, said: “What they do at Great Ormond Street Hospital is just amazing. They have looked after Oliver and us so well.

“When we go to hospital, we just feel so lucky. They need to raise a huge amount of money every year.”

Paul and his wife, Beth, 35, who both work for the police, have two other children, Harry, five and one-year-old William.

Paul said he has wanted to run the marathon for several years but only managed to get a place through the ballot for this year.

He has been training since October and has run a total of 400 miles, running up to 14 miles at a time. To donate, visit justgiving.com/Paul-Todd.