A CHARITY worker who was left ­paralysed after a throat infection is renewing calls to bring back the Glasgow marathon.

Jamie Yardley, 40, was hospitalised four years ago after the ­infection developed into a virus which ­paralysed him from the chest down.

The 40-year-old, from Wishaw, spent months in the Southern General because his white blood cells were attacking his ­spinal column.

As he lay in his ­hospital bed, Jamie ­ignored what doctors said about him needing the use of a walking stick to get around for the rest of his life.

Just two years after he was struck down, Jamie built up the strength to run the ­Edinburgh marathon.

And he is now urging people to support fresh calls for a marathon in Glasgow.

Jamie said: "While I was in hospital I wasn't thinking that I might never walk and I wasn't listening to what the doctors were saying.

"I just thought: 'No way. I will beat that.' I did leave hospital with a stick but then I started running."

Jamie, who works at learning disability charity Community Lifestyles, set up a Facebook page two years ago. But in the wake of huge sporting events including the Great Scottish Run and the Commonwealth Games, nearly 2000 people have supported the cause.

Now nearly 500 signatures have been gathered in a new petition, calling on the Scottish Government to bring the marathon back next year.

Glasgow hosted a full marathon in 1979 and it continued to 1987. When numbers declined it changed to a half marathon in 1988.

Jamie said: "I'd like to see something quite like the scale of the London marathon.

"People might say we could just run through the streets in Glasgow but it's not the same."

AUSTIN LAFFERTY - PAGE 20