Wolverhampton marathon runner is butt of his own joke
A marathon runner has ended up the butt of his own joke by getting his mate's name tattooed on his backside - in a love heart.
Jonathon Green came up with the idea of auctioning off a space on his rear for a tattoo to raise cash before he took on the London Marathon.
And Mr Green was shocked when his friend Dave Anson, who guided him through a tough training schedule for the event, bid £200 to have his name enclosed in a heart - and won.
He kept to his word - and though he has since seen the funny side, his family have raised a few concerns.
It is Mr Green's fourth tattoo, and when he showed his mother her response was: "What if you are in a car accident? People won't be trying to find out who your wife is, they will be trying to find out who Dave is."
The 35-year-old said his 'long suffering' wife Julia wasn't upset by it and added: "She knows if I get something in my head there is no talking me out of it. I won't back out of a challenge, I have got to see something through and I said 'just think what £200 will do, I can't not do it'. She just gets me. She is probably one of the few people that does."
It all started a year ago when Mr Green decided to take up running, and Mr Anson kindly took him under his wing.
"He said to come on this Park Run, a 5km run, and me being really competitive with Dave I said 'let's go out, I'll definitely beat you'. And I didn't."
At 21st 7lb and six foot seven inches tall, Mr Green said he was 'really quite unfit' but, determined to run faster than his mate, the 35-year-old started 'sneaking out for cheeky runs' during the week.
Before he knew it he developed a bit of an obsession with running, and when a chance to run the London Marathon to raise money for disabled children through Cannock Newlife Charity came up he jumped at it.
Set an initial target of £2,500, he had raised almost £3,000 and was looking for something to help get him over the line, so auctioned off some space on his rear for a tattoo.
And once again Mr Anson stepped up to help his friend out.
He said: "I have done a lot of stupid things in my life. I have done dares and silly things, drunk too much at all the wrong times, said the wrong things to people. I have been a bit of a lad. I have done stupid things but this isn't one of them - that £3,000, so much good work will come out of that.
"Me having someone's name tattooed on my bum and at the same time inspiring people to give lots of money, that is an honour for me. I would do it again, I would fill my entire bum up with tattoos if it meant kids with disabilities will get what they need."
Mr Green, from Fallings Park, said the sport had helped him clear his head, and he now weighs in at 19st.
When he signed up to run the marathon, Mr Green said: "I thought 'I am setting myself a mountain to climb here'. Not only do I have to be fit enough to run a marathon, but raise all of this money as well."
And now that he has conquered the 26 miles in London, he has plans to take on the Great North Run in September with Colin Plews, the 'bearded lady' in the pink dress he helped cross the marathon finish line.
The pair will complete the race dressed as Beauty and the Beast, raising money for breast cancer charities.
Mr Green said: "I have had family and friends with breast cancer scares, and they need as much help as they can get. I'll be doing equally stupid dares.
"My wife hopes I will just stick to car boot sales but I should think I will come up with something even more ludicrous this time."
