A DIABETIC athlete from Erith ran more than 43 miles in a day to raise money for charity.

Super-fit Gavin Griffiths, aged 20, of Luddlestone Road, took in the sights of the south-coast as he ran from Hastings Pier to Brighton Pier.

Clocking in at a phenomenal 8 hours and 45 minutes, Gavin has already raised £1,000 for diabetes research charity JDRF.

Gavin, who attended Trinity School in Belvedere, said: “As a diabetic, I’ve always wanted to try and show others even if you’re diabetic, it doesn’t stop you from doing sport.

“It was a day of sheer endurance - I faced so many uneven grounds, high inclines, diabetic hypos and a bought of illness along the way.”

Gavin is no stranger to extreme fund-raising events, having previously completed a 29-mile run along the Kent coastline and a 70-mile run during a weekend on the Isle of Wight.

He explained: “I had to keep monitoring my blood sugar levels, which meant stopping to check my blood sugar along the route and take on board energy, through fruits and energy drinks.

“At one stage I found my blood sugar levels at a reading of 2.8, which for a diabetic is classified as a ‘hypo’, meaning I need to pick my blood levels up in order to avoid crashing out, or worse, falling into a diabetic coma.

“I had to eat lots of carbohydrates to sustain my levels, which weighed heavily on my stomach as I ran the cliffs of Beachy Head.”

When he approached Brighton Pier and saw crowds cheering him on, he dug deep and found the adrenaline to sprint across the finish line.

Gavin, who will carry the Olympic Flame through Westgate-on-Sea in July, is now planning his next adventure.

He has plans in the pipeline to cycle and run against celebrities to raise more cash for diabetic charities.

Visit justgiving.com/Gavin-Griffiths1.