STUDENT Tom Merriott, who three years ago was fighting for his life in a South American jungle hospital, is gearing up to run in the New York Marathon in November.

Mr Merriott, 22 next week, whose mother lives at Wilton, suffered peritonitis after his appendix burst during a gap year visit to South America.

He was in a tin-roofed hospital in Achacachi on the shores of Lake Titicaca for eight weeks. During that time he was fed intravenously and, lacking proper sustenance, suffered enormous muscle wastage .

Repeated stomach operations in the jungle hospital also left him with permanent abdominal muscle problems.

But that has not deterred Mr Merriott, a psychology student at Bristol University, from putting his name down to run the New York marathon.

His mother Gwenda said doctors have told him that because of his muscular loss while in hospital, when 90 per cent of his muscles wasted away, it will be his only chance of running a marathon. He is already suffering back and leg problems as a result.

Mrs Merriott said: "He has to do the marathon now because doctors have told him he will not be able to do it in five years time."

Mr Merriott, who in 1999 cycled 2,000 around Europe with a friend to raise £2,000 for the Sight Savers International charity, is running the marathon in aid of the Get Kids Going sporting charity.

Sponsorship offers or donations can be sent to him c/o the Gazette office at 42 Kingsbury Street, Marlborough.