Eye eye! Nottingham runner takes on marathon dressed as the London Eye

The Nottingham engineer has built the 4ft diameter structure out of electrical conduit with water bottles for passenger pods. Roger is head engineer at Ilkeston-based Sensory Technology Ltd which designs and installs sensory environments including sensory rooms, gardens, floors and soft play.

They have provided coloured lighting and shoulder padding for the incredible costume which will hopefully help Roger raise vital funds for the charity Spinal Research.

In 1999 Roger was left paralysed from the waist down for weeks after contract encephalitis. “I had flu-like symptoms but then after four or five days I suddenly lost all sensation and use of my legs,” said Roger, 56, from Sandiacre.

“I spent a month in Queen’s Medical Centre unable to move from the waist down and not knowing whether I would ever walk again. It was so scary.

“Once doctors worked out what had happened and I started treatment there was another 12 weeks of rehabilitation learning how to walk again. It’s an experience that really stayed with me and once I got back on my feet I wanted to get fit and started running.”

Over the last 20 years Roger has completed well over 50 half marathons and next month will be his ninth – and probably last – full marathon.

“If this is to be my last hurrah I wanted to come full circle and raise money for Spinal Research. My life could have been very different and I feel incredibly grateful. This is my chance to give something back,” said the father-of-two.

“I’m weirdly looking forward to it but just hope the day is not very windy! I haven’t had chance to train very much wearing the costume so not 100% sure how sturdy it is.”

Every two hours someone in the UK is paralysed after a spinal cord injury. It can happen to anyone at any time with devastating consequences.

Spinal Research is the UK’s leading charity funding medical research around the world to develop effective treatments for paralysis caused by a spinal cord injury.

Chief Executive Louisa McGinn said: “Team Spinal is really pulling out all the stops this year at the London Marathon and Roger is definitely going to be easy to spot with his incredible London Eye costume!!

“We’re so grateful to him and all those putting on their running shoes next month. We are in touching distance of function restoring treatments for people paralysed after a spinal cord injury so every single donation brings our vision of curing paralysis a step closer.”

To support Roger go to his fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/roger-farnsworth-5