A CROSS Keys dad whose son has a rare blood disorder has raised more than £700 running the Cardiff Half Marathon for the ITP Support Association.

ITP, or Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, is an immune disorder which means the patient’s own body can attack the platelets needed to heal cuts and bruises.

Andy McIntyre completed the course in one hour and 48 minutes.

He said: “My family were all out supporting me. I got to about Roath Park and it went a bit pear-shaped – I hit the wall. Getting to the finish line I felt elated.”

His two children Jack and Amelie were watching along with wife Lucy and his mother-in-law, father-in-law and brother-in-law.

Next year he wants to run half marathons in all the major cities in South Wales: Newport, Swansea and Cardiff.

He wanted to run the course for the ITP Association to raise awareness of the illness, which can develop after a virus or vaccination, the charity says.

What would be a small cut or bruise for most of us could become a serious injury for Mr McIntyre’s Jack.