Ian McAllister, from Choppington, is embarking on a year of running events, to mark his 50^th birthday, including the Pilgrims Ultra in September.

He is raising funds for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) in memory of his nephew Guy Comber, who sadly died in 2013.

Ian said: “Living in a rural area, I see time and time again how important the requirement for an air ambulance service is. When my nephew, Guy, needed to get to hospital urgently it was actually the Sea King from nearby RAF Boulmer that transported him, but since this service has been disbanded the requirement for an air ambulance service is more important than ever.”

Guy is remembered as a “cheeky, smiley character” who loved his two older brothers, rugby, and farm life.

Ian said: “He lived, breathed, ate, slept and dreamt of farming.

“Even at a tiny age, he’d be wandering around the stack yard in his John Deere boiler suit checking on the cattle.”

Ian has previously completed significant fundraising challenges in Guy’s memory.

His efforts included two ultra-distance runs of 65 and 30 miles, five marathons, two duathlons, 11 half marathons, a 10km race and six park runs.

Now, a decade later, after undergoing three ankle reconstructions, Ian is pushing himself even further.

His main challenge is the Pilgrims’ Ultra, which covers 100 miles along the full length of St Oswald’s Way, finishing at Chollerford, with a demanding 30-hour time limit.

When asked why he chose to take on such an extreme challenge, his answer is simple: “To see if I can.”

Alongside this, Ian is undertaking a series of other running events, including the Bamburgh Half Marathon, Kingdom of Northumbria Ultra, Allendale Challenge and the Priory Ultra.

He added that public support is a crucial part of his journey, saying: “Once the donations and good luck messages come in, it motivates me to want to continue.”

Ian has set himself a target of raising £500 for GNAAS, and you can sponsor him via his JustGiving page here.