A SETTLEBECK School pupil will be running close to 30 miles to 'pay back' the secondary for all it has done for him.

Declan Smith, 13, will be lacing up his trainers to take on 27.8 miles - the distance from his home in Lancaster to his Sedbergh school.

He will be running alongside his PE teacher and mentor, Nick Richmond, and has so far raised more than £7,000 for the school.

"I have been a student at Settlebeck School since September 2015 and have been working with Mr Richmond since September 2016," Declan said. "Settlebeck School is a small mainstream school in Sedbergh which has 186 students. This school is particularly special because students receive much personalised learning.

"I thoroughly appreciate what the school has done for me to date and decided I wanted to do something which would raise money for my school. From this point forward the idea of the school run was born. I am only just 13 and see this as a great challenge, one which I started training for in January."

His mum, Victoria Smith, said that the school was 'brilliant' but as a small rural establishment it would be hit hard by any cuts to funding.

"It's every school but some schools are going to feel it more," she said. "Declan is doing this because he wants to show the school he appreciates what Settlebeck does for him.

"We are backing him up and supporting that school. It's an extraordinary school and one that needs preserving."

Mr Richmond, who offers Declan one-to-one support and started working at the school last September, said that he was 'dreading' the run but hoped that 'adrenaline' would kick in on the day.

"The run that we have planned has been something that we have decided to do to repay school for what they have done for him and a bit of a target for him," he said.

"I started working with Declan pretty much straight away - he's in Year 8. He's really focused and he's quite energetic. He's a really good lad.

"He's quite a sporty person anyway so he's really fit - I thought I was fit but not quite as fit as him!"

During the last eight miles of their May 17 run, members of Mr Richmond's running club will join in to see them to the finish line.

"I see this opportunity to not only raise some deserved funds for the school but also build Declan's confidence and resilience which in turn should have a positive impact academically," Mr Richmond said.