Police officer runs for baby unit

John Liversidge will tackle the run over a 24-hour period

A top ranking police officer is to run almost 100 miles in a day to raise money for local hospitals which care for seriously ill babies.

Chief Supt John Liversidge, area commander for Milton Keynes, will run from Banbury through the Chiltern Vale to Old Windsor near the Surrey border.

He will raise money for special care baby units as his daughter was treated at one when she was born prematurely.

The 98.2-mile run will take place over 24 hours on the Bank Holiday weekend.

The Thames Valley police officer's daughter, Bethany, was born up to six weeks premature four years ago.

Christmas care

"There were complications at the birth and both Jackie (my wife) and Bethany were very poorly afterwards and had to stay in hospital for some time," he said.

Mrs Liversidge had pre-eclampsia - a condition which occurs during pregnancy or immediately after the birth and can be a serious threat to both a mother and baby.

After being born at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, Bethany was later transferred to the special care baby unit in northern Oxfordshire.

Since then Bethany has had to return to the unit suffering from bronchitis for the past three Christmases.

"Each Christmas day they have had to call out a consultant and other staff to look after my daughter," he said.

He is hoping people will sponsor his run, with the proceeds going to specialist care baby units throughout the area.