WHEN a workmate jokingly bet Mark Forde £20 he could not run a half-marathon, the former cancer sufferer rose to the challenge to give something back to the York charity which saved his life.

Mark, 38, shop manager at Howarth Timber, in York, was diagnosed with cancer roughly ten years ago but, thanks to the help he got from York Against Cancer, he made a full recovery.

Work colleague Simon Pearson sparked Mark's charity effort when a joiner, who helps to organise Knavesmire Harriers' Brass Monkey Run half-marathon held in York last Sunday, called in at the firm's Leeman Road premises with a fistful of entry forms, looking for runners.

"Simon bet me £20 I wouldn't be able to do it and then one of the lads from the office came down and bet £20 as well," said Mark.

"So I thought of York Against Cancer and it just escalated from there."

With only four weeks to get fit, Mark had to train hard.

When the moment of truth came, he covered the 13.1 miles in two hours and six minutes to clock up more than £400 in sponsorship from colleagues, friends, relatives and customers.

He said: "I felt so chuffed when I crossed the line because I did struggle a bit.

"I chose to do it for York Against Cancer because they really helped me. It is down to them that I am around today and I can't pay them back enough."

Mark presented his hard-earned cheque to the charity's fundraising chairman Pat Leveson.

Updated: 10:04 Saturday, February 03, 2001