FIRST he was a fairy, then a gorilla, now a Basingstoke dad is preparing to run the London Marathon dressed as a Viking, complete with Viking ship, in an attempt to set a new world record.

Dave Holby-Wolinski is hoping to set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon completed whilst wearing a boat costume, but needs to get round the 26 mile route in less than four hours to qualify.

The father-of-two has run the London Marathon four times before, always in fancy dress, but has never worn a structured costume or completed the course in less than four hours.

He test-ran the outfit at the Reading Half Marathon, and completed the course in one hour, 59 minutes – just one minute under the figure given by Guinness World Records to qualify as a new world record.

Dave now hopes to have the same success in London this Sunday, and said: “This will be my fourth London Marathon and fifth marathon in total. The last one I did was Brighton in 2014. The first time I was dressed as a fairy and the second was in full firefighter kit and then I was dressed as a gorilla. I’m so useless at running so it’s another excuse to go slower than I normally do.

"I have never run a sub-four marathon so I’m a bit nervous but I’m hoping I have done enough training to get round in one piece.”

The 36-year-old, from Bramley, enlisted the help of Basingstoke College of Technology for his costume, which was designed and made by Juliet Swain and Gillian Lake-Thompson.

He said: “They did a great job. The costume is really light to wear. It’s the awkwardness of knowing that something is completely around you. I run like a Thunderbird with my arms and legs everywhere knocking the side of the boat but it was actually really comfortable. I struggled up the hills but the support you get is brilliant.”

Dave, who is well-known in the town having spent two years and six months rowing around the world on a static machine in The Malls, earning himself a place in Guinness World Records, will raise money for Breast Cancer Now, in honour of his grandmother and two aunts, who lost their battle with breast cancer.

He said: “Two Guinness World Records will hopefully be set. Most importantly I hope it enables us to support the wonderful Breast Cancer Now. If we can all act now, they believe that by 2050, no one will die from this heartbreaking disease.”

To support Dave visit https://www.justgiving.com/ DaveTheViking