A Warminster soldier is running a race every month for a year to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support after his family were effected by the disease.

Alex Laird, 47, has been in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, for 30 years and is currently part of international defence training at The Land Warfare Centre in Imber Road, Warminster.

He is planning to run a 10k, half- marathon or full marathon each month for the next 12 months in aid of the charity.

Sgt Major Laird, who lives in Westbury and is a Warrant Officer Class 2, said: “My father’s sister and my father’s mother both died of cancer so I wanted to raise money towards research. Please give as little or as much as you can. Everything from 10p to £5 will be greatly appreciated.”

The Warrant Officer, who has been stationed in Warminster since 2001, is an experienced marathon runner and is confident of reaching his £1,000 target.

“I’ve been running over the years and wanted to set myself a new target,” he said.

“I’ve done lots of marathons in England and Scotland. I’ve done the London Marathon four times. I also did the Plain Crazy run on Salisbury Plain last year and I completed the Longleat 10k this month. It can be emotional when you get to the end.

“The training is normally OK but it takes about two or three days for your legs to recover. If you haven’t done a marathon before it might take about a week to recover.

“People do think I’m crazy but it’s for a good cause. It will be great to achieve it. The crowds and support of my family and friends will keep me going.”

The officer ran the Calne 10k and the Melksham 10Kat the weekend and will run the Devizes 10k next month.

To sponsor him, visit his donation web page at www.justgiving.co.uk/alex-laird