Whitehaven man Jason Todd has raised an impressive sum of money for the Coronary Care Unit at the West Cumberland Hospital.

Last year, Todd's father suffered an unexpected heart attack which shocked the entire family.

Jason said: "He received exceptional care from West Cumberland Hospital and came home safe and sound after a week or so, which was an enormous relief and mega positive news for the family.

"He is making more progress as the months go by which is great to see.

“Everyone who knows my dad knows, he is extremely fit for his age and loves to exercise; the medical professionals told him this saved his life. Without this high level of fitness the heart attack would have been fatal."

Inspired by his father's battle, Todd laced up to run the Loch Ness marathon in Scotland on October 1, completing the course in just over four hours.

His goal was to raise £1,000 for the West Cumberland Hospital's Coronary Care Unit & Cardio Rehabilitation Centre - a benchmark he smashed, raising an impressive £1,500.

The Scottish marathon was a special choice as Todd's father has been a Scotland visitor and admirer for years, with family and close friends living in the country.

Jason described his dad's care as 'remarkable', saying he wanted to 'give back to the ward that looked after my dad'.

He said: "If this story impacts another family positively by influencing better/healthier life choices and ultimately prevents someone's loved one from having a heart attack later on in life, that's job done for me."

His efforts gained recognition from Dr Louise Buchanan, Medical Director and Consultant Cardiologist at the hospital.

She said: "We are so grateful to Jason, not only for raising such a fantastic amount of money for the coronary care unit but also for raising awareness of healthier lifestyle choices in optimising your heart health.”

Heart health tips include ceasing tobacco use, reducing alcohol ingestion, maintaining a healthy weight, eating wholesome foods, exercising regularly, undertaking frequent health check-ups, and managing any long-term conditions.

These steps can lower heart attack risk significantly.

The funds raised by Todd will go via the North Cumbria Hospitals Charity, supporting the Coronary Care Unit of the West Cumberland Hospital.

Donations can still be made to Jason and his cause by visiting his JustGiving page at: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jason-todd-loch-ness-marathon