Kicking the drinking puts a new step in Tom's life

He would stay in the pub from opening to closing time, getting so drunk he wouldn't even be able to remember his way home. For 20 years, Tom was an alcoholic who blew his 20,000 savings on drink, which cost him two relationships and nearly

a third.

Today, the Irishman will toast his patron saint with a glass of orange juice and

go for a long run, an unrecognisable figure to the bloated alcoholic he was four years ago.

"I just can't stand being around people when they are drinking alcohol any more," says Tom, a project manager and personal trainer from Wakefield.

But for two decades, the story was very different when, on an average weekday night, he'd devour 16 pints – before getting in his car and driving up to 100 miles home from work sites.

He shamefully admits that he nightly drove home

after hours in the pub – occasionally with his two oldest children in the car.

"I am ashamed of what I did, risking my children's lives – and other people's. But the drink had such a grip on me, I didn't care," says the father of four.

It took an ultimatum from his partner, Zoe Swoden, to make Tom, 35, realise that he had to turn his life around.

"I nearly lost Zoe and the kids," he says. "It made me realise I had to do something."

Tom set himself the challenge of getting fit to run a local 10k. Now five stone lighter, clear of drink for two years and super-fit, he has

set himself the target of running in one of the world's toughest challenges

Next month's six-day Marathon des Sables covers 151 miles in the searing 120 degrees heat across the Sahara Desert; 750 of the world's best runners will be taking part.

"I began drinking at 13, two months after my dad died. As the oldest son of five kids, I felt I had to work and help my mum, so I began skiving school and labouring on building sites," he recalls.

"But after work I'd go drinking with the other men. Gradually, I fell into a pattern. Come 5pm, I downed tools and picked up a pint glass – and stayed there till 11pm or midnight. It was the norm.

"I was a heavy drinker, I once went to the doctor and he asked me how much I drank, I answered about 13-14 pints; the doctor said, 'A week?' My reply was, 'No, every night'."

Drink caused the breakdown of two relationships, each of which gave him sons, Mason,

now 13, and Niall, 11.

"I had them every weekend but that didn't stop me drinking. I'd take them with me to the local club. They'd eat crisps, play pool while

I drank – then I'd drive

them home. That was no

life for them.

"I once drove home drunk – but went back to our former home, 10 miles away. I was so out of it, I'd forgotten where

I lived. I had tried to stop drinking before but convinced myself that I was good at drinking, and a better, more interesting person because of it. I didn't always see the loud, sometimes aggressive, unhealthy person I had become."

Tom met bank worker Zoe in 2001. They moved in together and enjoyed a busy social life.

"I liked a drink and going out. Tom's drinking wasn't a problem until we had Orla, five years ago, and then, 16 months later, Oliver, four," says Zoe, 40.

"I'd want him to come home after work but he wouldn't. Nothing was being spent on the house and I knew our savings were dwindling.

"We didn't have a massive bust-up when he told me they'd gone. I was so busy with the kids and running the home, but sick of his lifestyle. I always loved him, but it was another nail in

the coffin.

"I sat down and told him that if he didn't sort out his drinking, I'd go back to my home city of Bristol."

Tom knew Zoe meant business so at 5pm the next day, four years ago, he went for a run.

"I was a bloated 18-stone mess but had heard about

a 10k run that was happening in six months' time and I said to Zoe, 'I'm going to do that'. I thought if she could see me doing something positive, she wouldn't leave me.

"The first night, I ran for half-a-mile and was then violently sick. I suffered withdrawal symptoms – the shakes, night sweats and worried excessively over minor things.

"But I kept running and, gradually, I built up my fitness. Running is not a substitute for the booze, but it fills the time when I would have been drinking.

"I'd still drink but cut back and unsuccessfully tried to control it. One August 2007 night, I got horribly drunk, and when I woke the next day, I felt so awful I knew my body couldn't take much more abuse."

Since then, Tom has not touched another drink and has shed five stone. He visits schools to tell children about the dangers of alcohol, but he is angry at the way alcoholics are treated in

this country.

"Life has totally turned round for me – I did it on my own because I could not find immediate and suitable medical treatment when I decided to stop drinking.

"AA was not for me – I did not want to skulk about church halls in meetings, apologising to everyone. I believe alcoholism is an illness. But when I was desperate to give up, the support I needed wasn't there. I knew that I had to

do it on my own.

"Most drink addicts are not down and outs. They are like me – functioning alcoholics, holding down good jobs. I justified my drinking by saying I was still providing for my family. But I wasn't living, I was existing."

Tom hopes to raise 20,000 which he will split between two charities, The Rugby League Benevolent Fund

and Addaction.

"I am a supporter and a player sponsor of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and am also involved with a local youth rugby league team."

Addaction is the UK's largest drug and alcohol treatment charity. Each year, it helps nearly 30,000 people affected by drink and drugs to rebuild their lives by providing specialist treatment, advice, support and education

In his build-up to the MDS, Tom has completed eight marathons, as well as recently completing his first 50-mile ultra off-road running event

"I have rebuilt my life and my family life. The best thing about being sober is that my children look at me with love now because they want to – not out of duty. I know the race will be tough – but it won't be tougher than my battle to give up booze.

"If, by completing the MDS, I can inspire just one alcoholic to take control of their life, then it will have been worth every step. I want to show people there is life after alcoholism."

To sponsor Tom, go to www.dryingout.org