Mum-of-three Jakki Nobbs will line up for this year’s OX5 Run to thank doctors who carried out an emergency operation on her teenage daughter.

Last February, Lizzy Nobbs, 14, became sick with what her family thought was a stomach bug.

But the Gosford Hill School pupil needed surgery at Oxford Children’s Hospital, after it emerged she had suffered a ruptured appendix.

Mrs Nobbs, 44, a registered childminder from Hazel Crescent, Kidlington, said the care her daughter received had inspired her to take part in the five-mile race around the grounds of Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, on Sunday, March 25, to raise money for the hospital.

She said: “Lizzy had been feeling poorly for over a week and didn’t seem to be getting much better. She had lost about a stone in weight, so I took her to our GP, who referred her to the children’s hospital. They said she was dehydrated and put her on to one of the wards so they could get some fluids into her and monitor her.”

Within hours, Lizzy was sent to the operating theatre, where it was discovered her appendix had ruptured.

Mrs Nobbs added: “It was real mess because the appendix had burst and the medical team did amazingly well to get the whole of the appendix out.

“When she came out of the operation, she had all these tubes sticking out of her and was really poorly.

“She spent the night in the paediatric high-dependency unit before being taken back to the ward, where she stayed for two weeks.

“The staff were excellent when it came to helping Lizzy with her physiotherapy. It’s great to have a world-class children’s hospital on our doorstep.”

Lizzy made a swift recovery, although she missed three weeks of school.

Mrs Nobbs, who has two other daughters Catherine, 13 and Sarah, 11, said: “Lizzy would be running the race but she is going to see the X Factor tour in Birmingham on the same day, so she can’t make it.

“I have raised £65 so far and I’m hoping to raise at least £100 for the hospital.”

Last year, nearly 1,000 people took part, raising more than £60,000, which funded a mobile intensive care unit and a room where teenage cancer patients can relax.

The run, organised by the Oxford Mail, is sponsored by recruitment experts Allen Associates, Jack FM and retailers at Witney’s Marriott’s Walk shopping centre.

This year organisers are hoping that 1,000 runners will turn out to raise a total of £100,000 in the 10th anniversary race.

Hospital spokesman Penny Hambridge said: “Taking part in the OX5 Run is a great way for families to say thank you to the hospital and we are immensely greatly to everyone who puts the time aside to take part in the race.”

For more details about the race or to register online, visit ox5run.co.uk