Ex-police officer, 46, is going to run  the London Marathon BACKWARDS

An ex-police officer is planning to run the whole London Marathon backwards to raise money to help those who have been affected by the war in Ukraine. 

Tom Harrison, 46, from Amersham, Buckinghamshire, has decided to stand out from the crowd by running the already challenging 26.2 miles backwards.

While his fellow joggers will have a view of the backs of people’s heads, Tom will be able to see their faces as he embarks on his latest wacky challenge.

The former police officer previously captured the public’s attention when he decided to crawl the whole marathon, wearing a gorilla costume in 2017.

The charitable individual also challenged himself to walk from Cornwall to London – an estimated 255 miles – all in the name of raising money. 

Tom, who now works in project management, depended on the kindness of strangers as he embarked on his three day journey to the capital. 

For the London Marathon this year, he is raising money for Red Cross – who are helping those affected by the war in Ukraine.

Tom says that he wanted to do something different and ‘quirky’ to draw attention to his fundraiser. 

For the London Marathon this year, he is raising money for Red Cross – who are helping those affected by the war in Ukraine

He added: ‘Running backwards does give you a new perspective. I’ve been able to see the route I’ve taken and footprints I’ve left behind’

Tom, of Amersham, Buckinghamshire, told Metro.co.uk: ‘I could have done more backward walking, but it is hard to fit in alongside your regular forward walking.

‘I won’t be surprised if someone goes “you’re going the wrong way mate!”.’ 

He added: ‘Running backwards does give you a new perspective. I’ve been able to see the route I’ve taken and footprints I’ve left behind.’

Tom says that he will be tucking in to a bowl of porridge, which will provide him with some much needed fuel before he starts his latest challenge. 

Sporting the colours of Ukraine, Tom has posted his number on Instagram so people can look out for him

The former police officer previously captured the public’s attention when he decided to crawl the whole marathon, wearing a gorilla costume in 2017 

To ensure that he doesn’t get in the way of other runners, Tom said that he will be starting the race later.

While he hasn’t practiced the walking backwards when travelling to places, he has tried to develop the skill in a nearby park and quiet streets.

He added that the support from his two sons, Alex and Nicholas – who were pictured in matching gorilla costumes when he crawled the marathon – will keep him strong and determined.

 You can donate to Tom’s fundraiser here.