Traffic cone man aims for London Marathon world record

Traffic cone man eyes London Marathon world record

An avid runner will attempt to break the record for the fastest person to run the London Marathon dressed as a traffic cone.

Michael Wiggins, from Streatham, south-west London, will run his 18th London Marathon since 1999 - and his first in a traffic cone costume as he attempts to break the Guinness World Record (GWR).

Mr Wiggins wants to beat the previous record of three hours and 22 minutes, all while raising money for Prostate Cancer UK.

He said he was shocked after three of his friends were diagnosed with prostate cancer and hopes his record attempt will encourage more men to talk about their health concerns.

"I've got three good friends that I've known for years, all in their early 60s now, who had prostate cancer in the last five years," the 47-year-old said.

"Although they are 10 or 12 years older than me, it's still a shock."

He is aiming to raise more than £1,000 for Prostate Cancer UK, a charity funding research into the disease which affects one in eight men.

"If it saves one extra life, that's worth doing," he said.

Mr Wiggins said the costume has the same colour scheme as the Clapham Pioneers, the running club he is race secretary for, and he has trained in the suit ahead of the marathon on 27 April.

"A couple thought I was a carrot, someone else thought I was a rocket, but I'm definitely an orange traffic cone," he said.

Mr Wiggins said the base of the costume is "quite wide" and he will "run cautiously" to avoid hitting fellow competitors.

"I'm definitely going to be bashing into people a little bit, probably."

Mr Wiggins will be among 260 runners at the London Marathon running for Prostate Cancer UK as the charity aims to raise more than £720,000.

The charity is supporting Mr Wiggins and wants to encourage men to use its online risk checker, which takes 30 seconds to asses their risk of developing the disease.