FROXFIELD Stores’ owner has raised more than £3,000 for defibrillators for the village and nearby Privett.

Howard Bevis completed the 10-mile Great South Run in Portmouth to raise the money for the life saving kits; one to go in his store on the Dellfield estate, the other at Privett village hall.

Howard (50) said: “I have never run seriousely before, not even for a bus. But I really enjoyed it, and although the weather was alright, the strong winds forced me to jog and walk the last bit.

“I was alright on the day, but the next day, everything was hurting a bit.

“There aren’t any defibrillators in either Froxfield or Privett, and I’m loooking at getting them through the British Heart Foundation; any money left over will to the foundation perhaps, or toward maintaining the defibrillators.”

He signed up for the run about four months ago, and by return of post got a training plan aimed at helping novice distance runners like him get in shape before the run on Sunday, October 22.

He said: “It was a 12-week training plan, but for the two weeks after I got it the weather was so hot I didn’t do anything.

“Then ten weeks after I started, and by which time I was into it, my shins started playing up, so I didn’t run for two weeks before the actual event.

“So really I only trained for about eight weeks – and I knew all about it the day after the race.”

Howard, who has run Froxfield Stores for about nine years, completed the run in just over two hours, but says he is determined to do better next time.

He said: “I was tired after it and on the Monday, but I enjoyed it so much, the atmosphere was brilliant. I’m going to keep running and do it again next year.”

Privett resident Joanna Farrell (64) said: “We are very grateful to him, it was a huge effort on his part, as he’ll be the first to admit he’s not a runner.

“Howard did some serious training to raise the money, and I’m full of admiration for him.”