WHEN a friend of Jason Tasker’s son had her limbs removed after contracting meningitis, he felt he had to do something highlight her plight.

Though not a natural runner, the father-of-two is to compete in the Oxford Half Marathon for three-year-old Charlotte Nott.

Brave tot Charlotte, from Horspath, was struck down by an aggressive form of meningitis shortly before Christmas.

To save her life, doctors had to amputate all her limbs below the joints to stop thevirus from spreading.

When Mr Tasker heard about the plight of the toddler, who attends Horspath Nursery with his three-year-old son Alfie, he vowed to do anything he could to help.

He said: “Charlotte’s condition at Christmas was really touch and go.

“All of the parents at the nursery were really worried about her.

“It is any parent’s worst nightmare to think they may lose their child.

“But now she is recovering, I wanted to do anything I could to make her life as comfortable as possible.”

The 32-year-old, who works for a courier firm, is now building up his training schedule for the September 25 event.

Mr Tasker is offering local businesses the chance to have their name and logo on the back of his shirt, for a suggested minimum donation of £200. He has six spaces remaining.

All money raised will be donated to the Appeal for Charlotte fund, which will be spent making life for the amputee as comfortable as possible.

He said: “I want to raise as much as I can for Charlotte.

“Her story just touched me so much and I hope other people will be similarly moved by it.

“I hope the money will be able to give her as much of a normal life as possible. She is such a deserving cause.”

Since December, the little girl has had to teach herself to crawl, to draw with her mouth and play with her toys again.

The half marathon hopes to attract 3,000 runners this year and up to 10,000 next year, making it Oxford’s biggest sporting fixture.

It will raise money for children’s hospice Helen and Douglas House, in Magdalen Road, East Oxford, as well as charities supported by individuals.

Contact Mr Tasker at wolfboy@ yahoo.co.uk or on 07852713011.