A FOUNDATION set up in memory of Royal Marine John Thornton has raised a staggering £10,000 to celebrate what would have been his 30th birthday.

The 30 Miles for JT's 30th initiative challenged people to come up with a novel way to travel 30 miles to raise money.

More than 100 people took part in a variety of ways including walking, swimming, running, cycling and even crawling.

"John would have been 30-years-old on April 12 this year and when a 30-mile challenge was set up as a tribute to John and to raise funds for the foundation no-one could have expected the incredible support that it would receive" said John's dad, Pete.

"Well over 100 people took part and we would like to thank each and every one of the participants not only for taking on a 30-mile challenge but also for helping to raise almost £10,000 in John's memory."

John, a former pupil of Ferndown Upper School, died in 2008 while serving in Afghanistan. He was serving as part of Operation Herrick VII and was killed just two weeks before he was due to return home.

His moving diaries, written during his time inAfghanistan, have recently been included in a collection held at the Imperial War Museum in London.

John's parents, Pete and Linda, assisted by other family members and friends, set up the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation in his memory.

Since it was established it has raised a huge £340,000 and all the money has been awarded in bursaries and scholarships, benefitting nearly 900 individual young people.

Many whole school and group projects have also been supported including funding a cyber bullying competition, supporting the refurbishment of the Ferndown Upper School library, sponsoring the new Centre of Excellence for Industrial Liaison at the school and paying travel expenses for a class of 30 children from Parley First School to travel to Leeson House.

THE personal diaries of a young Royal Marine killed in Afghanistan have been included in a collection at the Imperial War Museum.

John Thornton's proud parents Pete and Linda delivered the precious memoirs to an archivist at the world-renowned London museum.

Now they are thrilled that a record of their son's day-to-day life while serving in Afghanistan will be available to researchers, authors, academics and the education sector.

"The diaries are an account of what he was doing, not just the operational stuff," said Pete. "They tell a lot about his thoughts and his feelings and about what he did in his spare time.

"There are bits where he reveals that he knows the risks and he says he knows it is just a numbers game."

John, a former pupil of Ferndown Upper School, served during Operation Herrick VII and died in 2008, just two weeks before he was due to return home to Dorset.

"It is a massive honour and a privilege for John’s diary to be kept safely at the IWM for time immemorial ensuring that his words will live on as a record for the nation," added Pete.

"When John was home on leave during his tour of Afghanistan he showed his brother Ian his diary and Ian suggested that he should get it published when he came home. John’s response was that 'no-one would be interested'."

John's diary will be added to the many collections of diaries, letters and memoirs which are regularly consulted by authors and academics and used in exhibitions, displays and educational activities within the museum.

Following John's death, his family and friends established the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF), which has so far raised £340,000 and helped more than 900 people.

John's diary is also included in a book, Helmand: Diaries of Front-Line Soldiers’ which is available direct from the JTYAF at £9.99 plus £3 postage and packing. £5 from every purchase will be donated to the charity. For larger orders please phone Pete on 07792121645.