A BIG-HEARTED fundraiser is taking on the London Marathon in an effort to raise £1,000 to help a little boy’s fight against Batten’s disease.

Francis Mills, of Parkeston, is running 26.2 miles for the Batten Disease Family Association.

He was inspired by the story of five-year-old Harry Rolph-Wills, who has a rare form of Batten disease, which is only found in one or two children in the UK each year.

The illness causes epilepsy, loss of sight and problems with speech and mobility, and will eventually prove fatal.

Harry’s mum, Laura, of Grafton Road, Dovercourt, said: “We are very grateful – we didn’t know him before Harry had Batten disease, but he has gone out of his way to do something.”

Read the full story in this week’s Standard, out now.