A LIFEBOAT volunteer is taking on two of the toughest running challenges in the country to raise money for the RNLI.

Dave Scott, a volunteer lifeboat helmsman at Redcar, is training for next weekend's Greater Manchester Marathon.

Later in the year he is taking on the gruelling Hardmoors 60 race, a 60-mile run from Guisborough, down the North Yorkshire coast to Filey.

He has only been running seriously for a year and has lost four stone after completing over 1,200 miles in training.

Mr Scott said: "In September 2014 I completed both the Great North Run and the Redcar Half Marathon. My goal was to finish in under two hours and I managed that in both races.

"I'm enjoying the challenge, the experience and the health benefits of running. It's even more satisfying that I get to raise money for a very worthwhile cause.

"The RNLI is all about ordinary people just like me helping people all around our coast. They ask for nothing in return. It is essential that the volunteer crews have second-to-none training and the very best equipment available.

"Anyone who is kind enough to sponsor me for the races can be assured that their donations will be used to enable volunteer RNLI crews around our coastline to continue to save lives at sea.

"The Hardmoors 60 race in September is going to be really tough. But I’m determined to finish it."

Dave Cocks, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Redcar RNLI, says: ‘Dave is an absolute credit to the RNLI. He puts in a phenomenal amount of time at the lifeboat station, and then on top of that he’s out in all weathers training for his runs.

"I really do hope that people will appreciate the huge effort he’s putting in and help him raise his target of £500 in sponsorship."

To sponsor him, visit his fundraising page at JustGiving.com/Crewman-15