Soldiers will walk through Bedford as they tackle a charity ultra marathon for children with rare diseases

Keep an eye out for two special walkers as they come through Bedford as part of their Ultra Marathon attempt in support of children with rare diseases.

Captain Tom Crossman-Kellie, 45, and Staff Sergeant Stacey Hopkin, 43, are taking on the challenge to walk 53 miles in around 20 hours on Saturday, April 10 - and they should be easy to spot, dressed in their bright yellow outfits.

The route will take them from Chicksands, around the local area, then north from Bedford to Leicestershire.

They will be setting off at around 4pm on Saturday, and will pass through Bedford between around 9pm and 10pm - and said they would love it if people said hello or gave them a wave of support.

The marathon walk is raising further awareness and funds for Children who are diagnosed with rare diseases such as Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) through Hope for Hasti. It follows on from last year's barefoot challenge.

For Capt Crossman-Kellie this would represent a further personal challenge as he suffers himself with lower limb arthritis through his service in the Armed Forces.

Undeterred he said: "I would walk to the end of the Earth for my children. Watching the inspiring events of last year encouraged me to move my personal goals way beyond what I can normally achieve and take on this once in a lifetime challenge."

Staff Sergeant Stacey Hopkins has become the driving force behind this event and said: "I am blessed to have a large family who are all healthy. I saw this event and wanted to show them the lengths I would go to if any of them had a rare disease and needed my help."

The pair have set a target of £500 - and you can donate at their JustGiving site here