Bognor Regis singer who wrote a song and ran a marathon for the RNLI tells of his success

Damon Jeffery of Victoria Drive finished the marathon in 4.52 hours after keeping a steady pace, despite barely sleeping the night before and running with a hernia.

He called it the his ‘biggest sporting experience ever’, adding: “It was amazing doing a dash down The Mall. I’ll never forget it.”

Mr Jeffery managed to raise £800 in five days for the RNLI and extended his enthusiastic thanks to everyone who donated.

He extended special thanks to Isabella Josie Millinery in Arundel for customising his Union Jack running vest, putting ‘Damon’ on the front and ‘Running for Roland RNLI’ on the back. He said: “It really kept me going with everyone calling out ‘Go for it Damon!’”

The RNLI is a cause near and dear to the singer-songwriter’s heart. His brother Roland went missing off Bognor pier in 2002, aged 41, after taking out his boat in the early hours of August 25. The RNLI and Coastguard searched scoured the coast and, two days later, sadly found his body.

Alongside running the marathon, Mr Jeffery also released a song recalling the night Roland went missing. Titled 'You’re Never Gone To Me’ it recalls the great times they shared as brothers, playing music together – Damon on piano, and Roland on trumpet, drums or guitar.

Writing and releasing the tune was a predictably emotional experience for Mr Jeffery, who said: “I’ve always wanted to write this song for my big brother Roland, who I adored, and when I heard on BBC 1 TV news that the Coastguard is 200 years old this year, and also 20 years ago since Roland’s tragic passing, it just felt exactly the right time to do it.”

He said: ““This song applies to all of us on any part of our national coastline, when we think we’re invincible, and try to take on the power of the sea – after drinking. Beware, sadly, the sea will always win.”

To the listen to the song, search for Damon Jeffery on YouTube.

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A Bognor Regis singer is releasing a song and running the London Marathon for the RNLI