An employee of a Rawdon company has helped raise more than £1,000 for charity by taking part in his first ever half marathon.

Martin Taylor, a panel wirer at Airedale, ran the Leeds Half Marathon on Sunday, May 13, and together with a friend, Sue Roper, has raised more than £1,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Mr Taylor, who received a £100 donation from Airedale, had never run seriously before. But he was inspired to take part in this year's half marathon after a bet with friends as he watched last year's race go by.

Martin, who started training in January, said: "I cut back on drinking and smoking, lost a stone and am in a lot better health. It was great running through the streets of Leeds with people cheering you on."

Four other Airedale employees, service and maintenance manager Adrian Trevelyan, of Wrose, quality, product planning manager Fin Farrelly, of Shipley, manufacturing engineering manager Mark Dowell, of Rawdon, and applications engineer Duncan Brown, of Armley, Leeds, also joined the 5,700 runners.

Mr Trevelyn, who has completed more than 30 half marathons and ran his second Flora London Marathon this year, was running for the fourth time in the Leeds race. Mr Dowell is a member of Leeds & Bradford Triathlon Club and an experienced triathlete with ten triathlons under his belt.

Now the Airedale athletes have their sights set on the Leeds 10k Jane Tomlinson Run for All' on June 24.