A DAD is set to take on his third charity running challenge in a month to raise funds for the charity that his supported his mother-in-law through illness.

Phil Oakes, from Woolston, will take on the English Half Marathon on Sunday, September 16 - following on from completing last month's Leigh 10k and the Wigan 10k today, Sunday.

The 41-year-old is raising funds for the Myaware charity, which support people suffering from myasthenia.

His mother-in-law, 72-year-old Lynne Holt from Paddington, was diagnosed with the condition - which causes weakness in the skeletal muscles - in 2012.

Phil, of Manchester Road, said: “Myasthenia is a debilitating illness, and there is no cure for it at the minute.

“Nobody is really aware of it.

“It’s manageable with medication, but the charity doesn’t really get any funding so everything comes through sponsorship.

“Once you’re diagnosed, it’s a bit of a nightmare scenario.

“Often you can feel like you’re on top of the world, and then the next minute you can be weak as a kitten - it’s a never-ending cycle.”

Phil - who took up running in 2015 - has already raised hundreds of pounds with his work, Telefonica O2 at Preston Brook, having pledged to chip in an additional £200.

He added: “It’s a fantastic charity and it needs all the help it can get.

“I’ve done a couple of runs for them before, but this is the first time I’ve done three runs in a row.

“So far I’ve raised about £500 or £600, so it’s ticking along quite nicely.

“I originally set a £250 target, but we made that in the first week - I was blown away.

“I’m made up with the response and there is still time to go until the half marathon.”

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