No mistaking Doug Braidwood when he runs the London Marathon dressed as a giant poo to “stand out from the crowd”—which no doubt he will stand out.

East London Advertiser: Doug Braidwood in training for the 2019 London Marathon on April 28. Picture: Bowel & Cancer ResearchDoug Braidwood in training for the 2019 London Marathon on April 28. Picture: Bowel & Cancer Research (Image: Bowel & Cancer Research)

He is taking part to raise money for Bowel & Cancer Research as a tribute to a friend who is receiving treatment.

“I’m not sure whose idea it was, but I think a glass of wine was involved,” the 45-year-old software engineer from Whitechapel admits.

“I was shocked at how bowl cancer seemingly comes from nowhere and turn things upside down.

“There’s not much you can do but offer moral support and running the marathon.”

He’s running in a fancy dress ‘poo’ costume “for a bit of a giggle” but also hopefully to raise a laugh as well as sponsorship.

East London Advertiser: Last remaining piece of Whitecjhapel's monster fatberg on show at Museum of London in February 2018. Picture: David Parry/PA WireLast remaining piece of Whitecjhapel's monster fatberg on show at Museum of London in February 2018. Picture: David Parry/PA Wire (Image: David Parry)

Doug has done much training for the marathon in the streets around Whitechapel where the world’s largest fatbgerg was discovered in the sewers in late 2017.

The infamous 800ft-long monster lump of solid wet wipes, nappies, fat and oil weighed 130 tonnes, with a chunk going on show at the Museum of London last year.

It achieved worldwide notoriety and was later immortalised with its own comic strip and a Christmas carol, Twelve Days of Fatberg (to the tune of Twelve Days of Christmas). One little boy even got his mum to bake him a special ‘fatberg’ cake for his 10th birthday!

Now Whitechapel has a giant poo running in the Marathon on April 28 which will be no walk in the park for Doug.

“I’ll be running in a plastic ‘poo’ suit which might be a hindrance,” he predicts. “It’s a leap into the dark, but I’ll be happy if I finish in four hours and raise a giggle.”

East London Advertiser: Whitechapel Fatberg monster even made it to a comic strip. Artwork: Nathan WrightWhitechapel Fatberg monster even made it to a comic strip. Artwork: Nathan Wright (Image: Nathan Wright)

Doug’s friend of 25 years, Sinead McKeown, 46, was diagnosed with bowl cancer in 2018. Friends rallied to keep her company during chemotherapy.

The Bowl & Cancer charity’s Deborah Gilbert said: “It takes guts to run the marathon, and for Doug to do it in a ‘poo’ suit is a great way of raising awareness of the terrible toll bowl cancer has on lives.”

Wellwishers can back Doug Braidwood online at the Bowel & Cancer charity’s website.