A student who was given a 50% chance of survival when he was born prematurely has completed the London Marathon in under four hours.
Callum Davidson and his twin brother, Andrew, were born three months early at Ayrshire Central Hospital in Irvine in August 1997.
Their mother was told the pair had just a 50% chance of survival, and even if they did it was likely they'd have a low quality of life and would struggle athletically and academically.
Callum is currently studying a PhD in Nanomedicine at the University of Strathclyde, while brother Andrew is a jet engine mechanic and keen Crossfitter.
In addition, the former completed the London Marathon in under four hours having won a place in the hotly-contested ballot.
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He ran to raise money for Crosshouse Children's Fund, the charity for babies and children in hospitals across Ayrshire, managing a total so far of £1,420.
Mr Davidson said: “I had heard going over Tower Bridge would keep me going and it lived up to expectations. Going round Canary Wharf was also so special.
“It was around mile 18 that my headphones died on me, so I had no option but run on the atmosphere. The crowd were so loud and helped me not focus on what my legs were doing. I also had a laugh at some of the signs, like: ‘Why do all the cute ones run away?!’
“I didn’t look at my time until the finish line. I was overcome with emotion when I finished and even more so when I saw I was under four hours. Thankfully, I had my sunglasses on, as I couldn’t stop crying.
“I flew back home that night, and my family surprised me in the airport with flowers and a banner that had my time on it.
“As it was my first marathon, I wanted to see how my body would cope and recover. Nothing compares to the feeling of crossing that finish line, so I definitely have the marathon bug and have more planned for the next few years!”
Rebekah McGinn, Fundraising Manager at Crosshouse Children’s Fund, said: “Thanks to Callum’s incredible dedication, hospital families across Ayrshire will be supported in their journey, like he and his brother were by our amazing NHS heroes all those years ago.
“Every keen runner knows London Marathon places are hard to come by - so we are so thankful for Callum’s choice to fundraise for Crosshouse Children’s Fund when he got that dream place.”
Crosshouse Children's Fund has already invested more than £350,000 in projects across Ayrshire and Arran, with 25,000 babies, children and young people requiring hospital treatment in Ayrshire each year.
Ayrshire Central Hospital - formerly known as Irvine Central - where the twins were born was formerly the main maternity unit for the county, with a number of well-known Scots born there.
Former First Ministers Nicola Sturgeon, raised in Dreghorn, and Jack McConnell, from Arran, were both born there as were footballers Kris Boyd, whose family is from Tarbolton, and Steven Naismith who grew up and still lives in Stewarton.
Since 2006 the maternity unit which serves the whole of Ayrshire has been located at University Hospital Crosshouse, near Kilmarnock.
Within the unit, there is an early pregnancy assessment suite (EPAS), maternity outpatient / daycare monitoring, assessment unit, ultrasound department, labour suite, maternity theatres, midwifery suite, inpatient ward and neonatal unit.
Around 4,000 babies are born in the East Ayrshire hospital every year.
A link to Mr Davidson's fundraiser is available here.
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