An 11-year-old boy from Hampstead Garden Suburb will be running the adidas Mini London Marathon next month.

Daniel Reuben, of Coleridge Walk, will put on his running shoes to complete the last three miles of the 26-mile Flora London Marathon, on April 13, having grown up wanting to take part.

His mother, Amanda Reuben, said he had wanted to run the marathon from an early age and had watched her run it ten years ago - in three hours, 59 minutes - from his pushchair.

"He watches it every year," she explained. "Daniel is a runner and he's very fast. We go out together but I can't keep up with him now.

"It has been a dream of his for many years and especially to beat my time. He was about six or seven when he started understanding what the marathon was about."

Daniel, a pupil at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, in Elstree, who has been running for four years, found out last week that he had been selected to run in the 11 to 12 age group in the City of London squad.

One of his teachers believes he can run the three miles in just 18 minutes.

Daniel, who turns 11 ten days before the race, said: "I like watching the marathon and it looks quite fun. I have seen people dressing up and have thought that I'd quite like it to be me.

"I think I'm more nervous than excited but I'm a bit overwhelmed by everything."