Engineer pulls on running shoes to help those with rare condition

Leigh Hicks, 26, of De La Warr Road, Bexhill, will be competing in the race on March 21 in aid of the Marfan Association, as his girlfriend's 11-year-old nephew Daniel Jazwiecki has Marfan Syndrome.

The condition affects around 10,000 people in the UK and is a variable disorder of the connective tissue that affects many organs such as the skeleton, eyes, heart, lungs and blood vessels.

Mr Hicks, a technical support engineer for Drallim Industries on the Ponswood Industrial Estate in St Leonards, is hoping to complete the half-marathon in under two hours.

His girlfriend Dominika Chmielarz said: "Since leaving the Army in 2008 Leigh has continued to seek new challenges to keep himself active and alert and decided this year to run the Hastings Half-Marathon as it is something he had yet to do.

"When discussing with me which cause to run for, I suggested a charity that supported those with Marfan Syndrome, as this is a disorder my nephew suffers from.

"Leigh is asking for any and all donations towards this cause, large or small, and also to give him a wave if you spot him while on the course."

He can be contacted by email at [email protected]

For more information about Marfan Syndrome log onto www.marfan-association.org.uk