AN Accrington man whose son died after major heart surgery will run 26 miles to repay a charity that cared for his family 13 years ago.

Adam Wallace, 36, will don his trainers to run London Marathon’s 26 miles on Sunday, April 26, for Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

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He hopes to raise £1,500 to thank the charity, which provided a free room for his family in 2001 while his newborn son Riley was fighting for his life.

Born nine weeks early on June 28, 2001, alongside his twin sister Cara, Riley weighed just four pounds and had heart problems diagnosed in the womb.

The walls of his heart were too thick and the valves were faulty, allowing blood to flow the wrong way.

So, at only two weeks old, he went under the surgeon’s knife to open a valve in his heart. In November, he had open heart surgery, which was successful, but the pressure on Riley’s lungs proved too much. He was not strong enough to be taken off life support. He died on November 7, aged just four-and-a-half months old.

Adam, who works as a security manager at Tesco in Accrington, said he wanted to pay back the Ronald McDonald charity.

He said: “Our thanks were given to the staff and nurses at Alder Hey who helped both Riley and us at the time. However, it has always been an ambition to raise money for the charity that gave us the support at the hospital.

“The charity supports the families of children in the hospital, providing facilities and a place to get some much-needed rest.

“Knowing that you’re close by should anything happen is massively important and this is provided with just charity donations.”

He said: “Please give generously and help me raise the funds required to help this charity continue with the great work they are doing for families with children in hospital.”

Ronald McDonald House has helped more than 20,000 families in its 84 family rooms since it opened 20 years ago, and costs £600,000 a year to run.

House director Wendy Carson said: “As an independent charity, we rely on the support of local people who give up their time and energy to help us support families with children in hospital. “ “It is thanks to efforts of fundraisers such as Mr Wallace that we are able to provide our families, many of whom stay with us for months at a time, with a true home away from home.

“We are very proud of Adam and others who are running on behalf of Ronald McDonald House Alder Hey and wish them good luck in their race.”

To donate online, visit www.justgiving.com/adamwallace-riley. To donate by text message, text RLEY57 £(amount) to 70070.