text: A marathon runner who parked his car before taking part in the race has found it again  nine days after the 26 mile event following a public appeal. Jason Matthews, 40, left his black Saab 93 in a side street on his way to the starting line of the Manchester Marathon on April 19. But when the runner from Wolverhampton finished the race after five hours 11 minutes of running he was unable to remember where he had parked it. Jason Matthews, 40, (pictured after the race) lost his car after parking up before the Manchester Marathon on April 19 and is about to be reunited with it after a Good Samaritan gave up his day off to join the search . Mr Matthews spent hours searching for his missing car, even retracing some of the marathon route before enlisting the help of a taxi driver to help him. He spent 40 minutes driving through the area of the city surrounding Manchester United's Old Trafford ground before going to a police station to ask for help, but eventually had to give up and get a train back to his home in the Midlands. However, his car has now been found safe and sound by Adam Coppin from Salford, who read of Mr Matthews's plight and decided to use his day off to help. Mr Coppin, 32, spent this morning searching for Mr Matthews's car and found it safe and sound in an office car park in Salford Quays. 'I've been in similar situations parking at work, then forgetting what floor of the multi-storey I've parked on and walking around for ages,' said Mr Coppin, who works as a technical advisor at MediaCityUK. 'I could imagine his frustration, especially after running a marathon. 'I read the story on Monday night and had an idea from the description where it might be. 'As I had today off, I decided to go out and look for it and managed to find it. 'There is no damage apart from a few blossoms falling down on it from the tree above. I'm glad I could help.' Mr Matthews left his black Saab 93, similar to this model, in a side street close to Manchester United's Old Trafford ground before the race . Mr Matthews, a delivery driver for a builders' merchants, said he could remember driving into Manchester up Princess Parkway and then onto the Mancunian Way, before taking the A56 towards Trafford on his way to the race. He then remembers driving past Old Trafford on his left before parking up in a car park on a side street near a small office block. Mr Matthews, who was competing in the Manchester Marathon for the first time, said: 'The area looked like a small estate and there were chaps with high vis vests waving people in. 'I did the race then walked back past Old Trafford and looked around for about an hour. 'I actually ended up walking part of the course again. 'Then I spent about 40 minutes in a taxi and we looked all around near the Imperial War Museum but couldn't find it. Mr Matthews had searched this area of Manchester during the hunt for his missing car . 'I went to the police station and there was another chap and a lady there in exactly the same position.' Mr Matthews, who has competed in nine other marathons, added: 'I was that worn out, I was just anxious and annoyed. Manchester council had told him there was no record of the vehicle, which had a silver bike rack attached to it, being towed or impounded. Grateful Mr Matthews said he was so relieved to be reunited with the vehicle that he wants to make a donation to a charity of Mr Coppin's choice in order to say thank you. He plans to travel to Manchester tomorrow to retrieve his vehicle. 'I am so relieved, it's a massive burden lifted off me,' he said. 'I'm so glad I don't have to go out looking for it again or buy a new car. I am so grateful to this chap for finding it for me. 'Once I've got it back I'd like to make a donation to a charity of his choice to say thank you for his troubles.'
target: Jason Matthews, 40, parked in side street before Manchester Marathon .
  After finishing race in five hours 11 minutes he was unable to find Saab 93 .
  Delivery driver spent hours searching around Old Trafford stadium .
  Council has no record of the car being towed or impounded .