AN ex-Marine has climbed the more than the equivalent of scaling Mount Everest in the space of just a month to raise awareness of a rare disorder which affects a friend's son.

Former Royal Marine Dave Finn climbed Bredon Hill every day for the month of July (31 days) to raise money for local good cause "Funny Blood", which is close to his heart.

Mr Finn, now a lecturer in a motor vehicle course at South Worcestershire College, has already raised more than £600 for Funny Blood which helps boost awareness about rare blood conditions - and he hopes completing this Herculean task will make even more people aware of such conditions.

Funny Blood was founded in 2009 by one of Mr Finn's close friends, Ruby Edwards, when her eight-year-old son Noah of Pershore was diagnosed with a number of complex Platelet Function Disorders (PFDs) as well as thrombocytopenia.

Mrs Edwards said Mr Finn was off climbing another mountain on Monday, the day after he finished the challenge.

She said of him: "I think it's a huge personal achievement for him. He's also a friend of mine so I'm very touched that he wanted to help me.

"It takes a special kind of person to want to support a friend in that way. He has provided amazing support for Funny Blood and Birmingham Children's Hospital benefits from the money Funny Blood makes.

"It's a fantastic cause. Lots of people want to climb mountains and do runs but it is great when people support Funny Blood."

After he finished his Herculean task he joined Mrs Edwards for a pint in Elmley Castle. Mr Finn even ran back over Bredon Hill to Kemerton to get his car.

Funny Blood supports families living with the condition and fundraises for the ongoing care of sufferers at the Haemophilia Unit in Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Since it was set up, Mrs Edwards has dedicated her time to raising awareness of PFDs in order to help Noah and others living with the condition.

Mr Finn's level 3 motor vehicle students were in reception at Evesham Campus on Monday, May 16, getting sponsorship for his mammoth fundraising event.

Mr Finn said before he set out: "I will run from various start points to the summit tower and back. Most routes are between four to six miles and with an assent of approximately 300 metres per day.

"This will give me a total assent of approximately 9,300m and a distance of approximately 150miles.

"Mount Everest is 8,848m which gives you an idea of the challenge I face."

Each run departed at approximately 6pm from the locations listed below and the run, route and time was logged on a Garmin Fore Runner GPS Tracker.

Start Points included Elmley Castle, Eckington, Little Comberton, Bredons Norton, Westmancote, Kemerton, Conderton and Ashton Underhill.

To help Dave Finn contact him at dfinn@sworcs.ac.uk or call him on 01386 712684.

For more information about the charity visit www.funnyblood.co.uk/