YOUNG Oliver Smith may have already ran the equivalent of more than four marathons this year but he’s still got some way to go to raise funds for the charity which supported his dad after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

In August, Tom Smith received the devastating news that he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour following months of complications with his eyesight.

Tom had the tumour - which measured around four centimetres - removed in an operation in December after doctors acted quickly before it spread.

Throughout the process, Tom and his family have been supported by the Brain Tumour Charity.

And after recently turning nine, Oliver decided he wanted to do something to pay them back for all the support they’ve provided - and he set out to run nine marathons before his mum ran the London Marathon.

And it’s going incredibly well for him so far.

Tom said: “He has to run the average of 3.3 kilometres a day to remain on track for that.

“Sunday was the halfway point between January 1 and April 26.

“So he had to have completed 190 kilometres by that point because the total he has to complete is 380 - and I’m pleased to say he’d done 196 on Sunday.

“He’s doing fantastically well in terms of his running.

“He’s completing the miles, he’s enjoying it, and he’s running with people.

“We’ve had Dan Jarvis and Stephanie Peacock run with him on Saturday at the park run, which was wonderful.”

Oliver originally set a target of £2,000 but he’s raised almost five times that amount.

Tom added: “To date he’s raised £9.481.

“We are expecting more to come in pretty soon as well.

“He’s doing amazingly well and he’s very proud of himself.

“My wife is training for the marathon and she hasn’t done as many miles as he has.

“I think that’s testament to just how much he has done and how hard he’s working.

“This weekend, he ran the park run on Saturday with Dan and got a personal best.

“Then he ran the junior park run on Sunday and got another personal best.

“So I think what you’re seeing is all the running is actually helping him become a much better runner, even though he’s a decent runner already.

“But it’s really, really improving his ability to run.

“So he’s actually seeing the rewards on the track as well - raising awareness, as well as raising the money and all the other things he’s doing.

“It’s only positives going his way.”

Oliver has subsequently been nominated for a Young Champions award.

Tom added: “We’re just so proud of him.

“We beam with pride when we talk to people about him.

“I just talk with a big smile on my face because I just love telling people what he’s doing.

“And it’s for such a lovely, wonderful cause.

“You can’t fault him.”

Barnsley North MP Dan added: “Running a single marathon is no small feat, let alone the equivalent of nine - and at just nine years old.

“It was a pleasure that Oliver asked Stephanie Peacock MP and me to join him for a parkrun to raise money for such a good cause.”