A BEREAVED father will be running the equivalent of seven marathons in seven days in memory of his stillborn daughter.

Marc Shickell, who lives in Halifax but spends a lot of time at his company's Reading office, has taken on the challenge to raise money and awareness for SANDS, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, and has already smashed his £3,000 target by more than double.

Marc and his wife Lucy were given the devastating news that their daughter no longer had a heartbeat at 40 weeks. Ella Autumn was stillborn at October 25 last year.

Since that heartbreaking day, the couple have pledged to raise money for the charity which offered them and their family such invaluable support.

Marc said: "The support we have had has been tremendous and, quite honestly, overwhelming. I plucked a target of £3,000 out of the air and thought it would be difficult to achieve that, but I’m sat here now and we have almost doubled it, which is absolutely fantastic.

"People have been so generous and I know SANDS will use the money we raise to fantastic effect. We have had some fantastic support from local businesses who have sponsored hotels, medical supplies, etc. which without those, it would be extremely difficult to undertake this challenge.

"All the literature we received following the birth of Ella was from SANDS and not just for us, but for family members and friends to help them try to understand what we were going through. Knowing that there is that support there should we need it, from people who understand, and that they’re working to help stop this happening provides some comfort. We have been to some SANDS memorial events and the memorial garden at the National Arboretum and it is nice to be able to remember Ella at these events.”

Marc will set off from Covea Insurance's office, in Norman Place, on Saturday (8), before setting off on the mammoth run to Halifax along with six friends.

He said: "Obviously raising funds for SANDS is the main reason for doing this as well as promoting the work SANDS do. But for me there are a couple of other key things I’m hoping to achieve.

"Firstly, if me doing a few runs can fund research that prevents just one other couple going through this, then it’s a job well done.

"Secondly, I want to make Ella proud of her daddy for doing something good in her memory!”

To support Marc in his challenge, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/marc-shickell.

For more information on SANDS visit www.sands.org.uk.