101 year old Buster Martin has called in a firm of top City lawyers to make bookmaker William Hill pay out £13,300 on two charity bets made on him finishing the 2008 London Marathon.

In a letter to William Hill on August 5 solicitors Mishcon de Reya, acting for Buster, have told the bookmaker that should the money not be paid by close of business on Friday, August 8, legal action will be taken.

Buster should have collected his winnings, which he had promised to donate to children's charity the Rhys Daniels Trust, after completing the grueling 26.2 mile course in 10 hours on April 13.

But, after repeated attempts to collect his money, Buster has not seen a penny as William Hill refuses to accept that he is 101, despite being supplied with copies of his passport and naturalization certificate, both of which give his date of birth as September 1, 1906.

William Hill have said that the only proof of age it will accept is a birth certificate, but Buster, a French orphan who arrived in Britain at the aged 3 months, has never had such a document.   

He said: "All I ever wanted to do was raise money for charity. But then it's not about me anyway, I never wanted to be famous or to break any records, all I want is for William Hill to pay what's due so I can keep my promise to the Rhys Daniels Trust and help the children."