Completes 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday

It will go down as the fastest fundraiser in history – even though it was undertaken by a 99 year-old WW2 veteran at a sedentary pace.

Capt Tom Moore originally wanted to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together by completing laps of his garden aided by his walking frame before his 100th birthday.

However all his expectations and dreams have been smashed – as Captain Tom has coined in an astonishing £12.5m according to his Just Giving page.

The unstoppable record breaker started raising funds to thank the "magnificent" NHS staff who helped him with treatment for cancer and a broken hip.

With the aid of a walking frame, he completed 100 laps of the 25-metre (82ft) loop in his garden in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, in 10-lap chunks well before his birthday on 30 April.

"I never dreamt I would be involved in such an occasion as this," he said at the end of his final lap.”

NHS Charities Together, which support health service charities and will benefit from the funds, said it was "truly inspired and humbled" by his efforts.

Chairman, Ian Lush, said about 150 charities would benefit from the money.

"It's extraordinary to see the amount of money and the outpouring of goodwill towards the NHS and towards all the NHS charities who will take good care with the money that he's raising," he said.