A Southall fireman is running the New York Marathon for charity this weekend - providing heavy snow does not scupper his plans. 

Rene Street said he was feeling upbeat and excited about the event, which is due to take place in New York City on Sunday. 

However, the east coast of the United States was battered by heavy snow storms last weekend.  Debris from nearly 1,000 destroyed trees is having to be cleared from New York's Central Park in time for the marathon. 

Mr Street will be running the full distance in his firefighting gear - a hefty 35lb of equipment. 

He said: "It's going to be awesome, I'm really excited.  I've run the London Marathon before in full fire gear and the crowd was immense, so it'll be even bigger in New York.  I was on the phone to the airline this week as they weren't sure we could land at JFK due to the snow, but it looks like it will all be fine.  In some ways, it will be quite poignant as it's been 10 years since 9/11 and I'll be running as a fireman." 

Mr Street is no stranger to marathons, having run in the London event eight times, as well as one in Chicago. 

In his first New York Marathon, he is supporting two charities. 

One is Cancer Research UK, in memory of his father Tony, who died from kidney cancer in 2006.  The other is the heart charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), as a relative, Sophie Konderak, died after a cardiac arrest while she was at a swimming pool. 

Mr Street has been a firefighter for 14 years and has been at Southall for about two years.  He said he is proud to be representing his station. 

the New York Marathon is one of the larges in the world and more than 45,000 people crossed the finish line last year. 

If you would like to sponsor Mr Street, visit the web page UK virgin moneygiving.com/ReneStreet999.