A dad, whose daughter was born with three holes in her heart, is to take on the Great North Run in aid of children battling similar illnesses.

Ricky Millar's six-year-old daughter Kerrie-Anne was diagnosed with heart problems when she was six months old and her doctor initially thought she had a heart murmur - but tests revealed she had a life-threatening hole in her heart.

Kerrie-Anne's mum Margaret McGurk, of Skipton, said: "We felt shocked. Her condition was monitored regularly and we were fully informed. The medical staff were brilliant, we could not have asked for better."

Doctors told the family Kerrie-Anne's heart had become enlarged and was stretching, as the left side was not working properly. It would, eventually, stop working.

Medics at the heart unit at Leeds General Infirmary waited until Kerrie-Anne was nearly four, when she would be strong enough, to operate.

Her mum and dad, and sister Rachel, now 13, were told she had a 90 per cent chance of survival.

While on the operating table, however, surgeons found Kerrie-Anne's operation was not going to be straight-forward - as she actually had three holes in her heart.

Her heart was "patched" up, but tests after the operation showed she had a small heart which had not healed properly.

Now, Kerrie-Anne has her heart monitored regularly, and, apart from being more prone to illness, she is happily mixing with her classmates at Skipton Parish Church School.

Mr Millar, of Cross Hills, is taking part in the famous half marathon from Newcastle to South Shields on October 1 to raise money for The Children's Heart Unit Fund (CHUF).

He will compete with family friends Robert Clark, of Skipton, and Sarah Whitham of Carleton.

Anyone who wants to sponsor Mr Millar and his team should call Mr Clark on 07786 964448.

Family will be on the run

A father, son and daughter are taking part in the Great North Run after seeing a charity appeal in the Telegraph & Argus.

Rob Senior, 59, his daughter Lesley, 23, and son Richard, 22, will take part in the race to raise money for Heart Research UK.

And the three, pictured above, will be cheered on by younger sister Alison, 19, and mum Brenda, 55.

Mr Senior, a lecturer at Bradford College, said he decided to do the run after seeing an appeal by the charity in the T&A.

He said: "I have never done the Great North Run. I have done the London Marathon three times, and I have done quite a lot of runs for charity, but I have not done anything for charity for a while. If you haven't done it for a while you feel almost guilty.

"When Lesley and Richard heard what I was doing they said they would do it too."

Mr Senior, of Park Road, Bingley, said the three hoped to raise at least £750.

Anyone who wants to sponsor the Seniors can e-mail: robert@rsenior2.wanadoo.co.uk or telephone (01274) 562027.