A SOLDIER showed true grit when he completed seven marathons in seven days to help save sick schoolboy Oscar.

Sergeant Major Mark Wall completed the epic challenge at Pitmaston Park in St John's, Worcester at around 3pm today to raise money in the fight to save five-year-old Oscar Saxelby-Lee.

The 49-year-old of the 214 (Worcestershire) Battery the Royal Artillery has a child at Pitmaston Primary School where Oscar is also a pupil. He completed his final lap accompanied by firefighters from Worcester's Green Watch. who had come along, as have hundreds of others, to show their support.

So far the solider's fundraising mission has raised around £2,500 - £1,500 in online sponsorship and around £1,000 from the collection boxes as everyone digs deep for Oscar who has T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

The treatment he needs is not available on the NHS. It is now a race against time with Oscar having a three-to-five week window to travel to Singapore for CAR-T cell therapy.

His parents were left devastated after discovering Oscar's leukaemia had returned despite him undergoing a bone marrow transplant.

Now they say their last hope is to raise £500,000 to pay for extra treatment.

Sgt Major Wall said Oscar and his parents had visited him on Sunday and that he he was in 'good spirits' and left some chocolate cakes for everyone.

He said: "I have had families come along all day, children bringing their pocket money, bringing their piggy banks."

When asked about why he had chosen seven marathons in seven days he said: "It's about longevity and maximum exposure. People are still talking about it now."

Sgt Major said: "I've done zero training for this. It's not like I'm some superhuman athlete. I'm just an average Joe."

Children joined him when he was completing some of his laps and he told them not to cut corners, telling them 'they're only going to cheat Oscar'.

He has also encouraged others to take part in the challenge, sponsoring them out of his own pocket to help boost the total.

He donated a £1 for every three miles on the assault bike, every 1km on the SkiErg and every 2km on the rower.

To sponsor him visit Virginmoneygiving 7 Marathons in 7 days for Oscar.