A GRATEFUL dad whose daughter needed life-saving surgery when she was just 10 months old has raised £1,100 for the charity that helped his family.

Tom Fowler, 46, from Brightlingsea, completed the London Marathon in three hours, 29 minutes to thank the Sick Children’s Trust.

They gave him and wife, Gemma free accommodation in 2010 when daughter Violet needed emergency treatment.

At ten months, Violet became seriously ill with mastoiditis, an infection of the bone behind the ear.

She underwent a complicated operation to relieve the pressure on her brain at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

While she recovered, Tom, Gemma and Violet’s older sister Molly, were supported by the Sick Children’s Trust at Acorn House.

Tom said: “I have run marathons before, but this was the toughest yet because it was the hottest London Marathon on record and the opposite conditions to those I had trained in.

“Knowing what I was running for kept me going. It was amazing to be cheered on by Gemma and Violet – they really inspired me to keep running and complete the race, as did all my friends and family who’ve made such generous donations.”

Tom was joined by 18 other runners who have raised £25,873. To add to Tom’s total, visit virginmoneygiving.com/TomFowler4.