A daily reporter who shed five-and-a-half stone in a year is set to put his new-found fitness to the test by competing in the Great North Run.

Dorset Echo journalist Alex Peace is set to take his place in the half marathon, which sees competitors run between Newcastle and South Shields, next month.

Alex, pictured above left, weighed more than 16 stone at the start of May 2014, but is now down to 11 stone after changing his diet and exercising more.

He had always dreamt of competing in the race, which will take place on 13 September, having studied in Newcastle.

Said Alex: “Thanks to changing my diet and exercising more, I spent six months or so shedding the weight and am now back to enjoying my food again, but not being daft, and exercising regularly to make sure the weight stays off.

“Part of keeping the weight off is that I do quite a lot of running and had always dreamed of doing the Great North Run.

“But that was all it was, a dream. I was far too unfit to even begin considering it.

“Anyway, now I am taking it on. As someone who attended university in Newcastle and has always loved the city, this is massive for me and I honestly can’t wait to go – but I am very daunted.”

Alex will be running on behalf of charity Save the Children, which works in 120 countries to provide disaster relief, health projects and protection for youngsters.

To sponsor him, click here.