A POOLE trucker has a very special reason for taking part in the town’s festival of running this year.

David Warren and his wife experienced the pain and trauma of losing their baby daughter after she was born 12 weeks premature at Poole Hospital more than a decade ago.

So, when the keen runner was looking at which charities would be supported by the Poole Park event this year, he was delighted to see the hospital’s delivery suite was a beneficiary.

David, a father-of-two, explained: “She was born 12-weeks premature in 1998 and spent three months in the special baby care unit at Poole.

“Sadly she is no longer with us.

“We’re not too bad with it now – over the years things get easier.”

David, aged 37, told the Daily Echo he’d been running for the past couple of years.

The lorry driver added: “I was looking at the charities and I noticed Poole Festival of Running supports the maternity unit.

“I thought I’d do the 10km run and raise some money for a great cause at the same time.”

Thousands of runners are expected to pack out Poole Park for the 31st festival on May 27.

Poole Hospital charity spokesman Kim Hawkings said: “This is the third year we’ve been a beneficiary.

“In the past we’ve bought monitors for the delivery suite, but this year our focus is on buying specialist equipment for our Haven birthing suite.”

Last year around 2,000 runners took part, including more than 300 children.

A number of races take place, including the coveted 10km race – that has pulled in top international athletes in the past – and the 5km Born to Run race.

Visit justgiving.com/david-warren2 to sponsor David.