Harborough schoolgirl raises over £1,200 for the NHS after running 25 miles around her garden in a week

An inspirational Harborough schoolgirl has raised over £1,200 for frontline NHS staff – after running a stunning 25 miles around her garden in a week.

Daisy Tattershall, 12, racked up the total after her dad Matthew, 49, set up a special course for her in their back garden.

The big-hearted youngster set herself a £350 target as she started clocking up mile after mile for Leicester Hospitals Charity.

But turbo-charged Daisy has more than tripled that as the public-spirited people of her home village of Walton, near Lutterworth, have rallied behind her.

Dynamo Daisy, who attends Market Harborough’s Robert Smyth Academy, told the Harborough Mail: “I’m just so thrilled that I’ve collected so much money and done so well!

“I feel very proud for running 25 miles and for keeping going until the end.

“I would like to say a big thank you to every one who has supported me and donated money.”

Talking about her monumental marathon mission, she added: “It was tough on the first day because I didn’t how long it was going to take me.

“But I was livestreaming my laps and I think that helped with my pacing as I got more into it.

“I’ve done a lot of cross-country running in Market Harborough and at primary school and that certainly helped.

“I also did the workouts on TV by Joe Wicks the week before and I did a lot of running and cycling so that made me much fitter.

“It stayed pretty cool until the end of the week when it became hotter so that wasn’t too bad.”

As for the NHS, Daisy insisted: “They are struggling with all that they have to do at the moment and I really wanted to help them out.

“I hope that all the money I’ve raised will help to buy vital protective equipment for them.

“The NHS are heroes during this coronavirus crisis because they are risking their lives all the time to save other people’s.

“So I wanted to do my best to help and support them.”

Her beaming mum Melissa Tattershall, 42, told the Mail: “We are just so proud of Daisy.

“She ran 100 laps a day and 500 throughout the week.

“It really is an enormous achievement and for such a fantastic cause, our NHS heroes.”

The mum-of-three said Daisy jumped out of bed before 7.30am every morning to sprint into action.

“She set her alarm so she wouldn’t be a minute late.

“Her dad set out a special course for her round our back garden and away she went,” said Melissa, who also has Ben, 14, and Tilly, 10.

“The challenge was set down initially by the brilliant Robert Smyth school – which Daisy loves – and she’s tackled it with all her heart and soul.

“Daisy put a live feed on my Facebook page as she ran round.

“And that worked a treat because it got so many people actively engaged and they felt as if they were lapping our garden with her.”

The hairdresser, who normally works at home, also saluted the people of Walton for backing her role model daughter to the hilt.

“The local community has been magnificent.

“Villagers, friends, family and neighbours – they’ve all got behind Daisy on her fundraising page.

“Daisy has shown such huge motivation, tenacity and sheer desire to run 25 miles in just a week,” said Melissa.

“She usually dances three nights a week and she’s a very sporty girl so she’s fit anyway.

“But even so – this is a fantastic tribute that she’s paid to the NHS.”

Dan Cleary, the principal at Robert Smyth Academy on Burnmill Road, Harborough, said: “This is awesome.

“The staff here, the school’s governors, her peers and myself are all in awe of what Daisy has achieved.

“To run 25 miles and raise over £1,200 is unbelievable.”

He added: “It’s a massive effort and Daisy is so inspiring.

“This is the sort of one-off headline achievement that stops you in your tracks.

“Daisy has shown incredible leadership, she’s a very special student and young person and we are all very proud of her.”