THE family and friends of a late Crossgates Army captain have marked the fourth anniversary of his passing by raising more than £2,000 in lockdown.

Captain David Seath, who was 31, died after suffering a cardiac arrest three miles short of the finish line at the 2016 London Marathon, which he was running in aid of Help for Heroes.

Following his passing, family members founded the Captain David Seath Memorial Fund, which raises money for armed forces personnel and veterans living with life-changing physical injuries and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) via Help for Heroes.

It has gone on to raise more than £310,000 and, in each of the last three years, a memorial 5k run has been held in Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline, on the same date as the London Marathon.

This year's event, which had been scheduled for April 26, was postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak but, undeterred, Captain Seath's family took on activities they were permitted to do to raise money.

Led by Captain Seath's brother, Gary, and mum, Libby, they encouraged the charity's supporters to do the '2.6 Challenge'; a fundraising initiative aimed at supporting good causes affected by the postponement of the London Marathon.

Libby, who teaches yoga in exchange for donations to the memorial fund, led the way by carrying out 26 rounds of Surya Namaskar, a strenuous yoga sequence, while Gary completed a 10.4km run – four distances of 2.6km – via Zoom.

In the heat of Perth, Western Australia, Captain Seath's uncle, Kevin Sykes, undertook a 26.2km cycle, while his aunt, Fiona, and cousin, Emma, walked 2.6km.

Another cousin, and recent RAF recruit, Anthony Walshe, completed a 2.6km run, followed by a body weight session of 26 push-ups and sit-ups, and a two minute and 26 second plank, while a third cousin, Sarah-Jayne Tunstall, carried a 2.6kg backpack on a 9.6km run around York.

"It was very disappointing to have to cancel our 5km fundraising event, however we fully appreciated the measures taken by the Government as a means to control the spread of the coronavirus, save lives and protect the NHS," Gary explained.

"However, the 2.6 Challenge presented an opportunity to continue to raise funds during what is proving an incredibly challenging time within the charity sector, and we have been overwhelmed by the fundraising which has been carried out in support of David's legacy, through the use of technological as well as conventional, socially-distanced means.

"We offer our sincere thanks to everyone who has chosen to raise funds in support of David's legacy. This weekend also provided pause for reflection as we commemorated four years since David's tragic passing, and to have raised over £310,000 is testament to the dedication, commitment and generosity of those who support our cause within the UK and overseas.

"As a family, it is very important to continue to support personnel, veterans and their families through Help for Heroes to receive the crucial support required across Scotland during these incredibly challenging times."

David Martin, Help for Heroes' head of fundraising, added: "We know the London Marathon weekend is particularly poignant for the Seath family, yet they have created a positive and inspiring legacy from such a painful anniversary.

"The funds they have raised in David's memory make such a tangible difference to our veterans' lives – we could not do what we do without them, and I thank all those who have raised money in David's memory on behalf of all the veterans we support."

The family have confirmed that the 5k memorial run will be held on October 4, to coincide with the rescheduled London Marathon.