A MONMOUTHSHIRE running fanatic has taken up the challenge to run 1,000km in just a month.

James Peters, 37, from Raglan, is running 33.3km (around 20.7 miles) every day for Bowel Cancer UK and the Trussell Trust.

Last December, he ran a half marathon (21.1km) every day to raise money for the homeless charity Crisis – including on Christmas morning.

He has been running an average of more than 10km every day for the last 1,030 days – clocking up over 11,000km.

“This challenge is going to push me to my absolute limits," he said. "I will be working full-time throughout the challenge and also have duties as a father of two young boys.

“Not to mention that recovery between each run will also be challenging”.

Mr Peters works for Olympus Medical Systems, which is one of the reasons why he chose to fundraise for a bowel cancer charity – but also, it has affected his family.

“A large part of my work involved being present on Endoscopy procedures and frequently this is on NHS bowel cancer screening lists in Wales,” he said.

“I have seen first-hand how hard endoscopy staff have been working to bring the screening service back online during the pandemic.

“One of the problems they face is encouraging patients to come and have the Endoscopy procedure. A consultant told me recently that patients are reluctant to visit hospital for fear of catching Covid-19 and their fear is understandable.

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“However, the NHS staff have worked incredibly hard to create a safe environment to allow this vital service to continue. When caught early by the screening service, early lesions (polyps) are quickly and safely removed, prevented them growing into something more serious a few years down the line.

“Bowel Cancer UK works to increase awareness, encourage people to take part in the screening programme and train NHS staff.

“Also a few years ago, bowel cancer came a lot closer to home for me. A close family member was diagnosed with bowel cancer at a very late stage.

“They had not participated in the screening due to working full time and being extremely busy, so this cancer was only picked up when it became a real problem for them.

“As a result, they required surgery to remove half of their bowel and were fortunate enough to make a full recovery without the cancer spreading.

“The sad fact is the majority of cancers in the UK are diagnosed in A&E despite screening being available for many common cancers”.

Mr Peters is aiming to raise £1,500 for each charity and you can follow, donate and encourage his journey through his Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/1000km-in-30-Days-102851984907515/