AN ABERPORTH PCSO will be plodding the streets of Swansea on Sunday to raise for for injured soldiers.

Matthew Kieboom is in training to run the JCP Swansea Half Marathon for Help for Heroes.

The event takes place for the third time this year and is becoming a favourite among the running community with beginners and elite athletes drawn to the race thanks to its flat and fast 13.1-mile course and incredible crowd support.

Matthew, who is raising funds for the military charity after serving three tours in Iraq while in the medical corps, is hoping to complete the race in under two hours, though he admits he won't be in the leading pack.

“I am more of a plodder," said Matthew.

"I managed two hours seven minutes on my last half-marathon and am hoping for a sub two hour one by the end of the year.

“My main passion has been obstacle course races and I tend to do three to four a year as it keeps my fitness up.

"I’ve also recently started kayaking out at sea along the Ceredigion coastline, which is breath-taking."

Following his third tour of Iraq in 2006, Matthew was "in and out of hospital and treatment for a few years", before being medically discharged in 2010.

“Those were the fledgling months and years of Help for Heroes and we were blown away by the support we received from across the nation," he said.

Since that time, Matthew has organised supermarket collections and held a number of talks for the charity.

If you are inspired to run for Help for Heroes visit swanseahalfmarathon.co.uk/charities/ and click on "Run For Us". The closing date for entries is Wednesday.