A man whose life and career were built in the heart of Macclesfield is preparing to take on the London Marathon.

Tony Mayer, a former service manager for East Cheshire NHS Trust, will join over 50,000 runners on the streets of the capital this April.

Born at Macclesfield Hospital, Tony returned to the hospital 18 years later to begin his professional career, spending 15 years moving from the pathology labs to senior service management roles in A&E and surgery.

 It was during a shift just off the A&E corridor 15 years ago that his ambition to tackle the world-famous 26.2-mile course first took hold.

"I proclaimed to the person next to me that I'd like to run the London Marathon one year," Tony recalls.

"At that point, the furthest I had ever run was a two-mile school cross country.

"To finally represent East Cheshire in the capital, where the thought first entered my brain, feels suitably prophetic."

Tony previously worked as a service manager for East Cheshire NHS Trust (Credit: Supplied)

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While Tony has since progressed his career further afield, now serving as the director of community programmes for the Cheshire and Merseyside Provider Collaborative, his heart remains firmly with his home trust.

"On the rare occasion I visit the trust now, there are still people I see on the corridor who I remember from my time at the hospital," Tony said.

"That sense of fondness still holds after many years."

An experienced distance runner with five marathons and an ultra-marathon under his belt, the scale of the London event and the cause he is supporting, makes this Tony's most significant challenge yet.

This is the first time he has committed to running specifically for a charity.

He said: "London is special. I've never had the added expectation of crossing the finish line to help raise funds for other people.

"Knowing this will really help me to push that little bit harder during those final miles through the city. My family has relied on Macclesfield Hospital for their care for generations, and this is my chance to give back.

"Running a marathon in the capital is a huge undertaking, but raising the money is arguably tougher.

"I hope the community, and those I worked with during my 15 years at the Trust, will get behind me. It allows me to worry less about the pounds and more about the miles."

Funds raised by Tony will go directly to East Cheshire NHS Charity.

Click here to find out more about Tony's fundraising efforts.