A shock diagnosis of epilepsy in his four-year-old daughter has led to Shane Chambers and his family taking part in this year’s Epilepsy Action 10k run through Bradford.

Mr Chambers, 37, of Cullingworth, will race alongside his wife Anne-Louise and six other friends and family members.

He said the first he knew of his daughter Megan’s condition was when he received a call from Cullingworth Pre-school to say she had had a fit.

“It came as a complete shock to us,” he said. “There were no symptoms of anything until she had her first fit in March. To hear it out of the blue like that with no warning absolutely feels like your world is falling apart.”

After seven seizures between March and June, Megan’s medication appeared to be working well and she has not had a fit since last summer.

Mr Chambers, who praised the pre-school, and the doctors at Airedale General Hospital, at Steeton, near Keighley, said: “We’ve used Epilepsy Action as a source of information and people to talk to and they have really helped. The first thing we did was look on their website.

“My wife suggested we run the 10k and I thought ‘I’m so unfit I’ll never be ready in time’, but we’ve been training and we’ll get there.”

The charity’s third annual 10k run, on Sunday, March 21, will follow the same route as the 2009 race, beginning and ending in Centenary Square, heading down Canal Road towards Frizinghall and back.

There are 2,500 places available for the race, which is being supported by the Telegraph & Argus, Bradford Council’s B-active campaign and the Airedale Athletics squad.

The time to beat was set by Willy Smith, of Brow Top Road, Haworth, who broke the course record last year which he set himself when he won the 2008 race, with a time of 31 minutes and 26 seconds. His girlfriend, Helen Glover, won the women’s race.

The race will cost £16 to enter, or £14 for people who are affiliated to a UK athletics club.

To sign up, fill out the form, visit epilepsy.org.uk or phone (0113) 210 8800.

Anyone who wants to sponsor the Chambers family is asked to visit justgiving.com/shane-chambers.