HUDDERSFIELD police officer Mark Carter tackled a tough half-marathon in sweltering heat to support the Examiner’s Sign Up For Sudders campaign.

Pc Carter, 25, ran the 14-mile distance from West Yorkshire Police headquarters in Bradford to Castle Hill in Huddersfield on Sunday.

He ended his run at gay pride event The Pink Picnic, which was taking place on the hill.

Pc Carter, who was Mr Gay UK in 2006, completed the run in two hours.

He said was running to raise awareness of the Sign Up For Sudders campaign, which is being fronted by Examiner reporter Adrian Sudbury.

Adrian, 27, has just a few weeks live after battling leukaemia for 18 months.

His last wish has been to raise awareness of the need for more people to sign up as blood, bone marrow and organ donors.

Pc Carter said the challenge had been tough but worthwhile.

He said: “It was hard work. But I made it and did it in two hours. It was amazing, I didn’t realise people would realise it was me doing it and they stopped to give me water. One person threw £10 into the police car following me. It was really good and pleasing to see everyone getting behind it.”

Pc Carter, who works at Huddersfield police station, used his run to raise funds for the Anthony Nolan Trust – which runs one of Britain’s two bone marrow registers and The Brunswick Centre, which provides HIV and support services for gay men in Kirklees and Calderdale.

The Anthony Nolan Trust has recently changed its policy to allow gay men to sign up as donors. Previously they had been excluded.

When he found out he could sign up, Pc Carter added his name to the bone marrow donor register at a clinic held in Huddersfield by the Examiner and ANT in June.

He said: “I did the run because I knew I would be able to attract attention to Adrian’s campaign. I wanted to remind people about the Anthony Nolan Trust and rule change for gay men. That’s what got me inspired to do it. I also wanted people to remember the Brunswick Centre and all the great work they do.”

Pc Carter thinks he has raised more than £700 with his run, but funds are still rolling in. You can show your support by sending a cheque made payable to Sign Up For Sudders to Katie Campling, Huddersfield Examiner, Queen Street South, HD1 3DU. You can donate at any branch of Barclays bank in the Huddersfield and Halifax area – simply walk in and ask to donate to the Sign Up For Sudders account.

For more information on Adrian’s campaign, visit http://baldyblog.freshblogs.co.uk

For more details on how to sign up as a donor, visit www.anthonynolan.org.uk, www.blood.co.uk or www.uktransplant.org.uk

You can find out more about the Brunswick Centre at www.thebrunswickcentre.org.uk