A man who lost family members and was once diagnosed with testicular cancer has run over 13 miles for charity.

As he crossed the finish line of the Royal Parks Half Marathon yesterday afternoon, Andy Bull had reached £1,400 for Cancer Research UK.

He joined 16,000 other runners in passing the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

He said: “It went better than I thought, I had trepidation beforehand, I lost my mum and moved house within a month of this event - so this last month has been traumatic and caused a bit of a dent in training.”

Andy, 49, had already decided to run in memory of his father George who died of a brain tumour 16 years ago and his brother-in-law who died of liver cancer.

He said: “She didn’t have cancer but as I was running I thought about them all a lot.

“Being 50 on my next birthday, the knees are not quite as oiled as they used to be and I was really starting to struggle after 11 miles.

“I had to remind myself why I was doing this, but then I thought if I keep going, mum would be proud and it gave me a new lease of life.

“The last 400 metres was quite emotional, I saw lots of people quite overcome and I was too.

“I was proud to cross the line and there is still time to raise more.”

When Andy was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 27, he was advised by doctors that if he wanted to have a family naturally he had one month before starting treatment.

But contrary to his initial diagnosis, he was informed that the tumour was benign and he wouldn’t need to go through treatment.

He said: “It was a very harrowing time. Going to the hospital and seeing so many ill people – adults and children, really bought it home to me.

“When we found out that the tumour was benign I had a slight feeling of frustration but that was hugely outweighed by not needing to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy which I had been dreading.

“We wouldn’t have tried for a baby at that time if we hadn’t had that ultimatum hanging over us, but by the time we were told the tumour was benign the elation had already kicked in and I was so excited about becoming a dad I didn’t care.

“Lottie is now 22 and she’s a lovely daughter – it was a blessing in disguise.”

As well as his eldest daughter, he is also father to James, 18, and with second wife Olga, has Joshua, 10, Noah, seven and five-year-old Andrew.

He said: “I think having a big family has definitely been connected to the fact there was a possibility I couldn’t have any children. Instead I had lots to make up for it. Because I could have some – I had lots!”

Anyone looking to donate to Andy’s half marathon can visit www.justgiving.com/a-bull.