A soldier from Bushey has gone the extra mile in Afghanistan as he and his wife prepare to run the London Marathon for their diabetic son.

Connor Wilkinson, who last week returned from a seven-month tour of the country, regularly ran laps of the British military base, Camp Bastion, to build up his fitness for the race.

He and his wife Jo, of Harcourt Road, are raising money for a diabetes charity after their three-year-old son Ben was diagnosed with the condition last year.

The 33-year-old, who serves in the 22 Engineer Regiment, said: "The other lads have been very supportive and joined me in a lot of the runs. It's a bit boring as you're enclosed within the camp so they did put some extra miles in with me."

Ben, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in July, constantly wears an insulin pump around his waist and has his blood tested through uncomfortable finger pricks up to 15 times-a-day.

"When he was diagnosed, it was totally devastating," said 34-year-old Jo. "It is going to be with him the rest of his life - that carefree element is gone and nothing will be as easy for him."

Jo says the bubbly three-year-old copes well with the discomfort of the blood tests, but she and Connor are constantly required to check his condition.

"We have to keep a very close eye on him," said 34-year-old Jo. "Because he is so little, we have to get up in the night and check on him - he can become very weak."

After Ben was diagnosed, the couple received advice and support from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), which funds research into a cure for the condition.

"When I am training I am thinking that raising the money is finding a cure for Ben," said Jo. "I can't believe there isn't going to be a cure - I have to stay positive."

Friends, family and work colleagues are sponsoring Jo and Connor for the marathon, which takes place on April 17, and the couple have raised more than £3,000 so far for the JDRF.

Jo added: "I have always wanted to run the marathon, and the charity has supported us from the beginning. I'm a little nervous but also excited."

To sponsor Jo and Connor, visit their donation page.