NEIL Lathom appeared to be the picture of health.

The 44-year-old athlete from Thornhill, Southampton, was an endurance athlete, who had completed Ironman UK in 2014.

He was also an accomplished triathlete as well as a PT instructor for the Army reserves in Milbrook and was actually on his way home from a work out at the gym when he was struck down by a heart attack last November.

But less than five months later, the father of three successfully completed the APB Southampton Half Marathon to raise money for Wessex Heartbeat.

Neil was fortunate that he was quick to recognise that he might be suffering from a heart attack.

"I felt really unwell driving home," he said.

"When I arrived home I felt really unwell and couldn't lift my arm.

"My wife, Cindy, thought I just needed something to eat but I said I'm having a heart attack, you need to call 999.

"The paramedics arrived and our worst fears were confirmed."

Neil, who is a railway shunter with Freight Liner, added that, unsurprisingly, he was deeply shocked.

"The heart attack came completely out of the blue," he said.

"I couldn't believe that someone as fit and apparently healthy as me could be cut down like that.

"I thought I was doing everything right, but two of my arteries were blocked and both had to have stents inserted into them."

Neil says his first reaction was shock, and he still has difficulty accepting what happened.

"I remember being in hospital and all I was thinking was 'I've got to be at work at 6am. I can't let them down.'

"I didn't really feel emotional about it until I was back home again around a week later and then I found it really hard to take," he adds.

"My lifestyle was so good but I'd had a heart attack.

"I don't know why it happened. It could have been hereditary - I have no family medical history because I was adopted. It could also be because I was training quite hard or because I used to be quite overweight. No one knows."

During his treatment at Southampton General Hospital Neil met volunteers from the charity Wessex Heartbeat.

Wessex Heartbeat supports the work of the Wessex Cardiac Centre at the hospital.

Since 1992, the charity has raised more than £11m to fund specialist equipment and facilities for the 20,000 adults and children treated there annually.

Neil was very impressed by the charity and decided that he wanted to support their work once he was able to.

"I could see the work they did was amazing and decided then that I would eventually do something to help the charity - although at that point my sporting future looked pretty bleak," he said.

But it was a while before he could think about pounding the pavements again.

Neil faced a difficult recovery, and as fitness is such a huge part of his life, the hardest part was not being able to exercise.

"I entered into the Cardiac Rehab course at Fleming Park which lasted eight weeks and was excellent," he says.

"But I could not train and on several occasions the frustration had me in tears."

When his cardiologist eventually allowed him to return to training he was given a heart rate of 142 beats per minute which he still cannot exceed - and he had to be careful not to go over this during the half-marathon.

"My close friends and family kept telling me that I couldn’t let this setback defeat me and although it was hard to believe at the time I have slowly started to get stronger and have started to believe in myself," he said.

"I signed-up to the half marathon knowing I won't be setting any personal bests but for the psychological boost and I have been very happy to be raising money for Wessex Heartbeat.

"As for my future plans, my goal has been the half marathon."

Neil is the first to admit that not that long ago he didn't think he would be in any position to take part in the half marathon.

He explains that his wife Cindy and the couple's children McKenzie, 17, Ashton, eight, and Conor, three, have been his inspiration to press on and take part in the event.

He was one of seven people competing in the Half Marathon in aid of Wessex Heartbeat.

The charity's chief executive, John Munro said: "Neil's is an extraordinary story of strength and resolve and also one which perfectly demonstrates the need for our work to support the Wessex Cardiac Unit.

"We are immensely grateful to him and all our fundraisers and hope people will sponsor Neil in his valiant return to fitness."

And Neil is delighted to have been able to have run in the Half Marathon.

"Four months ago I wouldn't have thought it possible to run around the block, let alone 13.2 miles!" he says.

"I feel extremely lucky to have been able to take part.

"I finished in two hours and 22 minutes. I wanted to run faster but I had to be sensible and keep my heart rate down. My biggest goal was just to finish.

"It felt like a bit of an anti-climax at first, because it had been my goal and I'd done it, but when I saw my wife, family and friends I just broke down in tears."

Neil says he is struggling to find what goal to set for himself next.

"I want to do so much, but there's still so much I'm not allowed to do, because I have to keep my heart rate down," he explains.

"I think my doctors are scared I'll start doing Iron Man competitions again so they keep me on a tight leash. I'd love to do one again but I don't think my wife would let me, either.

"There is talk of a Southampton full marathon next year and that could be my next goal or I've been looking into cycling in the French Alps for charity."

You can still donate to Neil's fundraising effort in aid of Wessex Heartbeat. Visit https://www.justgiving.com/Neil-Lathom1

For more information about Wessex Heartbeat and their work, visit wessexheartbeat.co.uk

Neil can be sponsored at: www.justgiving.com/Neil-Lathom1