Doctor has grand total in sight

Ian Watson: added mileage

RUNNING really is the best medicine for an energetic GP as he clocks up the miles for a cause close to his heart.

Dr Ian Watson pledged to run 31 miles across a trio of trials to raise money in memory of murdered Diggle policewoman Nicola Hughes. But niow he has piled on extra miles for the cause!

So far he has done the Nottingham half-marathon and an 11-mile memorial run from Hyde Police station to Diggle.

A seven-mile fell run was to have been the final stage on November 3 - until Ian, of Saddleworth Medical Practice in Uppermill, decided to add this Sunday’s “Milltown to Moors” Oldham half-marathon to takes his tally to 44 miles.

He’s been training hard with his trusty pooch, Molly the shepadoodle, by his side.

“I added the Oldham run in a moment of madness - and I’ve now seen the route, which seems to be all uphill!” said Dr Watson (44), from Greenfield, who is the GP of the Hughes family.

“I’ve never done so many proper runs back to back before, so it’s been a challenge. But the good thing is I’ve been able to eat what I want!”

Ian has already raised around £800, anjd hopes to make it the round thousand.

Dr Watson’s money will go to Chasing Rainbows — a charity set up in the murdered policewoman’s memory - which is splitting its money between the North-West Police Benevolent Fund and Victim Support.