EX-COMMANDO Martin Daley will run a gruelling 100 kilometres within the space of 24 hours – and he’s doing it for the love of Alice.

The 32-year-old tanker driver from Haydock has taken up the Adidas Thunder Run challenge and this weekend he’ll take part in the Catton Park off-road run in Derbyshire to raise funds for the special care baby unit that cared for his elder daughter during the critical first 12 weeks of her life.

On September 11, 2010 Alice arrived in the world having been born to Martin’s wife, Janine, 11 weeks premature at Whiston Hospital.

She weighed two pounds seven ounces at birth and spent three months in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and was in an incubator for the first five weeks.

Martin, who grew up in Sutton Heath and is an employee at Caldo Oils, hopes to raise at least £500 for the unit and will be cheered on to his target by Janine and daughters Alice and two-year-old Lucie.

Runners must complete as many circuits as possible of a daunting 10km course starting at noon on Saturday and keeping going through the night until noon on Sunday.

Martin said: “Without the help of the SCBU, Alice wouldn’t be as well as she is now.

“I can’t thank the hospital enough for all the care given to Alice during her stay.

“Running the Adidas Thunder Run is my way of giving a little back to the staff and helping other families who may need their help in the future.”

Sally Duce, lead nurse and directorate manager of paediatrics, said: “We’re very grateful to Martin for taking part in this extraordinary event to raise money for SCBU.

“We’re full of admiration for what he is doing and look forward to seeing him when he completes his mammoth task.”

n Anyone who would like to sponsor Martin and support the SCBU can go to justgiving.com/martin-daley1.