DESPITE not running competitively for 17 months after shattering his leg, an Exmouth councillor is back pounding the pavements.

Trevor Cope, who marks his 57th birthday on Friday, will be taking on his 20th London Marathon this year after recovering from a serious fall which saw him undergo reconstructive surgery.

The former town mayor was picking holly with his son, David, on Woodbury Common four days before Christmas in 2008 when he fell off a bank.

Besides shattering a femur, the Sidmouth College teacher broke an arm in two places. His injuries kept him from his job for four months.

Thanks to the surgery, he will now be taking on his 65th marathon — and that's on top of the 237 half marathons he has already done.

"I had surgery to replace and repair the femur," he said.

"I have nothing but praise for the surgeons at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital.

"It is down to their expertise that I am running again.

"They screwed the bone back together. The screws are still in there, but they will be coming out after the marathon, which will mean a six-week recuperation period.

"The holes will take time to heel over. If the screws were to come out before the marathon, it would have weakened the bone."

But running the marathon again is not just about proving to himself that he can do it.

The Exmouth Harriers' stalwart is raising money for a frontline medical charity called Merlin, one of the first on the scene after the Haiti earthquake.

The charity helps people access health care and says it is committed to helping build lasting health services which are used and championed by everyone.

Trevor said: "The charity had field hospitals in Haiti and is also involved in the ongoing Israel and Palestine conflict.

"It does a huge amount and is a very front-line medical charity. Sometimes its staff are already working in areas when things happen."

Although he posted an impressive time of 2hr 29min in his first half-marathon in 17 months in Bideford on Sunday, Trevor is being modest about his potential for the race in the capital.

He said: "I think it will be a bit different. I will have to get used to things again.

"I'm not expecting to break any record. I have done three-hour marathons, but my last attempt was 4hr and 20 min.

"If I do under six hours I will have done well. It might work well on the day but I have to be realistic.

"I have only done a minimal amount of training."

His next race will be the Taunton half-marathon, and he is hoping to do that in around 2hr and 15min, something he calls a "reasonable time".

For training, Trevor is running around six miles most evenings and nine miles at the weekend.

Asked about the number of races he has run, he said: "There is a suggestion it is a record. It is verging on obsessive.

"I started running in 1986 and have done at least five to six races per year since then, sometimes more.

"But I have had a whole season out after not doing anything in 2009."

To sponsor Trevor's marathon challenge, you can contact him on 01395 270128, or you can donate directly to Merlin at www.merlin.org.uk.