THE father of a baby who was hospitalised after a large birthmark left her with breathing difficulties is taking on 12 challenges for charity following her recovery.

Steve Midgley is running more than 100 miles in races, triathlons and obstacle courses to raise money for a charity which gave his family free-of-charge accommodation while his daughter was seriously ill in Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Ten-week-old Jasmine became poorly with severe cold-like symptoms in February and was kept in the University Hospital of North Tees overnight.

Mr Midgely, from Stockton, worried something more serious was going on, started researching the condition, asked for a second opinion and the following day she was rushed to the RVI for specialist treatment.

She was suffering from 'subglottic hemangioma' - whereby a birthmark under her chin began to grow inwardly, causing her airways to narrow and leaving just a small slit for her to breathe through.

She was treated successfully with medication over two weeks at the RVI and is now thriving.

"She is a completely different baby now," said Mr Midgely. "She is so much happier and settled."

While she was in hospital The Sick Children's Trust provided Mr Midgley and his partner Tanja Maggs with a room at its specialist accommodation, Crawford House, at the RVI.

Mr Midgley said: "Crawford House was invaluable to us as it meant my partner and I could stay nearby the hospital whilst Jasmine was in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and we could be just seconds away if we were needed. It was an absolute godsend and gave us some normality throughout the ordeal.

"We were able to cook for ourselves, rather than just eat anything we could grab, and we could go back to the house and relax at the end of a tough day." The accommodation has a direct phone line to the ward in case parents of sick children need to be contacted, as well as kitchen and laundry facilities.

Mr Midgley, who only quit his 40-a-day smoking habit seven months ago, is now taking part in the dozen events, over the spring and summer, and running weekly parkruns, to raise a minimum of £300 for the charity.

He has recently bought a running buggy so Jasmine can join him on his training runs.

Gail Stonley, Crawford House Manager said: “We’re really pleased to hear that Jasmine is on the mend and we’re over the moon that so soon after their stay with us, Steven is thinking of us by taking on 12 challenges to help raise much needed funds."

To support the fundraising effort visit: https://www.justgiving.com/Steven-Midgley/ or facebook.com/teammidge