A BOLTON bobby who protects abused youngsters is set to put in a marathon fund-raising effort for a special children's charity.

Sgt John Hall, who heads up a police child protection unit, is in training for the arduous London marathon course this April during which he hopes to raise £1,000 for the national charity Childline.

The father-of-two, who lives in Bradshaw and is in charge of Bury's child protection unit, picked the charity after helping young abuse victims who had made initial contact with Childline's hotline.

Sgt Hall, 43, said: "Child abuse is something I come across on a daily basis because of my job. From professional experience I know it is very difficult for a child to take the first step to seek help.

"Childline is good from that point of view. We know that if a child makes contact they will get good advice and counsellors will explore with that child who they can speak to about the problem.

Resulted

"I do deal with cases which have resulted from a youngster making contact with Childline so we know it is a good contact point."

Amazingly his 26-mile trek will come just two years after Sgt Hall first pulled on his running shoes to help him get back into shape and combat high blood pressure.

So far he has completed a half marathon but the London race will prove his first full event, with his current training taking him around the Humbles, Wayoh and Entwistle reservoirs.

And Sgt Hall, has even been spurred on by Childline's chairman, TV presenter Esther Rantzen, in a special good luck message.

She said: "It's wonderful that John has chosen to use this opportunity to help Childline meet its own challenge, answering more calls from lonely and distressed children who desperately need the help Childline's's trained volunteer counsellors offer.

"I wish John the very best of luck with his training and I'm sure all the runners working hard to help Childline will perform brilliantly."