Tributes to dad who led 'amazing life'

Grandad ran dozens of marathons after early years as circus performer

- by PAUL MCAULEY

A WELL-KNOWN dad who did "anything" to make those around him smile and laugh has died.

John Courtney, from Churchfields, Gateacre, is a familiar face for many in South Liverpool and the wider Merseyside running community.

The granddad-of-three ran more than 50 marathons, including several within the city region. However, he was never alone, doing many of them with his adopted son James. John, a greatgrandad-of-four, and his wife Sylvia took James in when he was a young teenager, after reading an article about Barnardo's in the ECHO.

James was born with a rare condition, which meant his eyes never formed, but that hasn't stopped him from completing countless races with his dad. Uniquely among blind runners, James did not complete the distances with a tether but instead running beside John, tapping him on the arm to keep on the route.

John's best friend, Bill Sergeant, 86, from Allerton, told the ECHO: "If I ever thought about what a comedian was, it would be John. There was nothing he wouldn't do to make others happy, and seeing happiness made him happy.