GIVING up smoking is a hard habit to break.

Even those who have eventually managed to quit know in their sub-conscious mind they will always be a smoker and, more often than not, crave what they have lost.

After giving up smoking up to 70 cigarettes a day, it's no surprise David Dowthwaite has struggled to stay a non-smoker but the secret to his success has brought great health benefits to him - and is raising cash for a worthy cause in the process.

It was the loss of David's father, Harold, to cancer in 1991 - and his decision to quit smoking - that prompted David to start fundraising.

David began smoking as a teenager. He stopped smoking when he was 25. "And it lasted for about seven years. I remember one of my old bosses saying 'you are always a smoker it's choosing not to light up.'"

Eventually David drifted back into it: "I was smoking 70 cigarettes a day and something had to change otherwise I would have been heading for a premature grave," he explains,

"Every day, don't get me wrong, I could light up a cigarette. Some people are lucky because they can stop and it doesn't bother them but I am not one of those people."

He finally stopped six years ago and is determined not to return to his old habit - fundraising has given him the focus.

Keen to help smaller local charities, David decided to do his initial fundraiser, the Great North Run, to raise money for Cancer Support Yorkshire, a charity with centres in Bradford and Skipton providing practical and emotional support to those affected by a cancer diagnosis, based in his home city of Bradford.

David was already familiar with the charity through his local pub, The Black Bull, in his home village of Clayton.

"It's a good charity and what they do for people who are suffering with the disease and for the families, the whole support package," he says.

David's began training at the local gym. Participating in the local Park Run around Lister Park, Bradford, also contributed significantly to his fitness regime.

After completing a half marathon, the proceeds from which he donated to his local Cancer Support Yorkshire branch, David was ready for the big one.

In 2011 he undertook the famous Great North Run, completing the entire 13.1 miles. "It was an eye opener," recalls the 53-year-old.

"It was very difficult because I had never done that kind of run before but the atmosphere, I definitely picked the right one.

"It is an absolutely awesome event. When you are standing on the A1 M at 9.20am and 50,000 are around you and all lanes of the motorway are just a sea of runners it just opens your eyes."

"There is no area where everyone isn't cheering you on, it really is phenomenal and there are still hundreds of people cheering on the last runners over the line."

Keen to repeat the experience, David set himself a challenge - to do a marathon every year for 10 years - to raise funds for Cancer Support Yorkshire.

Participating in the Great North Run the following year, also gave him the opportunity to beat his time. In 2011 he completed the run in two hours and 32 minutes and in 2012 he managed to shave nearly 15 minutes off his time.

Although he managed to beat his time, David recalls how hard it was contemplating running double the distance - but once he puts his mind to a challenge he has to take it on.

His third year fundraiser was the 26.2 mile Manchester Marathon.

"I try and find an easy pace and enjoy the view and, obviously, when I get to a certain distance it does start biting but you think about why you are doing it and you have to get to the finishing line."

David completed another Manchester Marathon, vastly improving on his initial finishing time from five and a half hours to four hours and 51 minutes.

This year - the fifth year of his fundraising mission - he has completed the Great North Run again - this time pushing himself to even greater limits by cycling the 105 mile journey up to Sunderland the day before the run and returning to Bradford by bike the day after completing it.

He credits the support from his friends at the Black Bull who always sponsor and support him on his challenges.

One of his pals from the pub drove a support vehicle while he cycled to Sunderland for the run and, as a surprise, the pub regulars arranged to welcome David on a stop-off where they did a collection for him raising hundreds of pounds towards his £2,168.50 total.

"It brought a tear to my eye," he says of the kind gesture.

Recalling the gruelling challenge he says: "My legs were aching and on the Sunday I felt slightly fatigued."

Nevertheless, he still managed to complete the run in two hours 30 minutes and 35 seconds.

Now he hopes to do the same cycling and marathon challenge next year and a pal at the pub has already pledged to double his sponsorship from £100 this year to £200 next year if he completes it which David is, as ever, determined to do.

Linda Enderby, fundraiser for Cancer Support Yorkshire, says: “I’ve never known an individual like David, his long term commitment to raising funds on our behalf is astounding. He totally gets the charity and what we do to help people affected by cancer and he’s behind us 100%.

"Cancer Support Yorkshire is an independent charity and we’ve grown so much over the past 28 years. We need to reach as many people as possible who may need our help but we can’t do it alone. Many of our supporters have been with us for years, they know what a difference we make and they’re already out there, in the community, raising our profile. Therefore we decided to invite them to become official Ambassadors of the charity to help raise awareness of our services and recruit more supporters. We are delighted that David has accepted the role.”

For more information call Cancer Support Yorkshire on 01274 776688.