A REAL-LIFE Forrest Gump is hoping he can encourage others to run with him as he takes on his latest challenge.

Bicester’s Ewan Gordon will line up at the Oxford Vitality Half Marathon in October, raising funds for Oxford hospice Helen & Douglas House for the fourth year in a row.

The civil servant ran the equivalent of 42 marathons in June dressed as Forrest Gump in memory of Thomas Laurie, son of friends Cath and Richard Laurie.

Thomas died at Helen House from Cockayne Syndrome, a condition causing premature ageing, in February last year when he was just nine years old.

Still running strong in his memory, Mr Gordon’s next challenge will see the 43-year-old pound the pavement of Oxford’s new-look half-marathon on October 11.

The run route, which used to start at the Kassam Stadium, has been changed to focus more on the city centre.

Mr Gordon called on Oxfordshire’s runners to join him, mirroring the famous Forrest Gump scene, in a quest to contribute funds to the charity.

He said: “I have always run the Oxford half-marathon for Helen and Douglas House as it is one of the four charities that helped Tom before he passed away.

“I run in memory of Thomas as well as the staff and visitors of Helen and Douglas House, being the amazing place it is.

“I have done a lot of marathons, but I have lived in Bicester since 1978 so the Oxford half is my home marathon.

“They asked me to run it as Forrest Gump again and I am hoping to have a team of – as they call it – “Gumpettes” to run with me.

“Last year we had 15 runners in memory of Thomas and many are coming back again this year.

“Since Tom died, we have raised about £45,000 for the charities that helped Tom, and this year so far about £4,500 for Helen and Douglas House.”

Poppy Hanbury, senior fundraiser at the Magdalen Road hospice, said the charity was hoping to gather a team of more than 200 runners after being chosen as the marathon’s local charity for 2015.

She added: “We are thrilled to be the chosen local charity for the Oxford Half 2015.

“We are hoping to get over 200 people running in the Helen & Douglas House team, raising approximately £20,000.”

“The fundraising and training is well under way, but there is still plenty of time to get involved and run for us in the charity’s home city.

“We will be there on the day cheering all runners on, so please do get in touch for more information and to be part of our fantastic team.”

* For details visit facebook.com/ewanforrestgordon