Now that's a hero!

I'm enormously impressed by the courage and determination of Major Phil Packer of the Royal Army.

A soldier who lost the use of both of his legs in Iraq is today celebrating reaching the half way stage of the London Marathon, despite the race finishing last week.

Major Phil Packer, 36, suffered catastrophic injures during a rocket attack in Basra, but is determined to complete the arduous marathon on crutches, and is notching up two miles per day.

He is hoping to raise £1 million for soldiers' charity Help For Heroes.

Crossing London Bridge today marked the symbolic halfway step for Major Packer in his bid to complete the course.




More than 35,000 runners pounded the streets of the capital last Sunday, raising millions of pounds for charity as they completed the 26-mile circuit.

He was originally told he would never walk again, but he battled the odds and fought his way to the start line last week.

He is due to finish on May 9.

The video clip below was filmed at the start of the Marathon.

I don't care who you are - that's a pretty heroic example, right there! Congratulations to Major Packer for setting such an example to us all. Well done, too, to the Beefeaters and Chelsea Pensioners, seen in the photograph, for turning out to salute him at the halfway point.

Major Packer has set up a Web site, where donations to the Help For Heroes charity are accepted. May I suggest to my readers that, since Britain is our ally in Iraq, and her servicemen face the same dangers as ours in the same cause, it might be a worthwhile gesture to make a small donation to them, in honor of their sacrifice and Major Packer's efforts on their behalf? The minimum donation accepted online is two British pounds, but that's only about three US dollars, so it's not as if we can't afford it!

Peter