North East Bedfordshire MP Alistair Burt is out to show he can continue his proud history with the Virgin Money London Marathon at the age of 60.

Burt will be taking part in his tenth London Marathon on Sunday – a feat made even more impressive when you consider it spans four decades, having first run in 1984.

This year the Wootton resident will be raising money for the Sue Ryder St John's Hospice in Moggerhanger and veteran’s mental health charity Combat Stress.

“My last London Marathon was in 2009 and I wanted to prove that at the age of 60 I am still up to it,” Burt said.

“What keeps me coming back to the London Marathon is that it is probably one of the best days out you can have as a runner.

“It is the complete experience – from start to finish. It is a great course, it is beautifully designed, you see all the key landmarks and it is that sense of achievement.

“You get to run with so many other people who are on the same journey as you.”

This year will see the one-millionth person complete the Virgin Money London Marathon since the first race in 1981.

April 24 will also see another historic achievement as Major Tim Peake is set to become the first astronaut to run a marathon in space inside the International Space Station.

Back on earth, Burt will be joined on the on the start line by a host of leading athletes and celebrities, with multiple Paralympic champion David Weir going for a record seventh wheelchair title and Hollywood A-Lister Natalie Dormer among those taking part.

When Burt was asked if he expected this to be his last London Marathon, he replied: “I don’t know if I will run the race again after this one or not.

“Like everyone else who runs it, you are not sure if you will do it again but I always wanted to keep on doing them.

“It is harder as you get older but I will always run and if the good people of Bedfordshire keep electing me, then I might have a chance to run as an MP over five decades but we will have to wait and see.”