Tim Wheeler, 62, a magistrate and former headteacher of Stockport Grammar School, will participate in this year’s adidas Manchester Marathon dressed as his superhero alter-ego ‘Scissorman’, in a bid to raise awareness for the Little Princess Trust.

This running superhero will tackle the event with a pair of giant scissors strapped to his back, reflecting the charity’s ongoing mission to provide wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.

Tim, who has been Chair of the Little Princess Trust since 2011, originally became involved with the charity in his role as headteacher at a former school. The charity was established by the parents of pupil Hannah Tarplee, who tragically passed away in 2005 after being diagnosed with cancer.

Speaking on his involvement with the charity, Tim says: “Hannah’s parents saw how hard she found losing her hair during her treatment sessions. The charity was launched in her memory and has been providing real hair wigs for children ever since.

"I became Chair of Trustees in 2011. It has always been a challenge to ensure that everyone who could benefit from the charity knows that a free wig is available. Scissorman was born to help raise further the profile of the charity."

This will be Tim's eighth Manchester Marathon dressed as Scissorman, he says: “I think of the adidas Manchester Marathon as my local run, and it’s such a great event. The support is always incredible and, being a looped course, I get to see everyone on the way there and again on the way back.

“The amount of encouragement I get is fantastic – the costume weighs over 10kg and provides quite a lot of wind resistance and so any encouragement, particularly towards the end of the race, is very welcome. There’s such an electric atmosphere around the course, and I have some great conversations about the charity along the way!”

"My motivation is the incredible work which the Little Princess Trust does – the charity has now provided over 15,000 wigs. Running a marathon in a heavy awkward costume is not easy, but this certainly keeps me going!”

If you would like to donate to Tim’s mission, please visit his justgiving page.

If you'd like to know more about the event, visit the Manchester Marathon website.

Image: adidas Manchester Marathon