FUNDRAISER Nazim Ali has proved he is made of stern stuff after completing his 8th annual Ramadan 10k run despite picking up a serious injury.

Just over halfway into his run on Sunday from Lister Park to Cottingley and back, he tore a calf muscle but managed to get to the finish line.

His efforts have raised more than £66,000 so far - enough to build over 50 two-room houses with kitchen and bathroom for refugees and people living in poverty in Northern Syria.

Nazim, from Bradford, said: "I had done all my training and was feeling really good on the day, but with only four of the 10 kilometres left to do I felt a sharp pain in my right calf. I had a left thigh strain picked up from the previous week’s last training run and I ended up limping the rest of the way to the finish.

"It was only the thought of all the sponsors who were donating to my fundraiser and all the people who would get the keys to their new homes that kept me going."

Running during Ramadan meant Nazim had no access to food and water and he made every effort to make sure he did not get ill. Unfortunately he could not legislate for injuries but is glad he didn't give up.

He limped in to a time of 1:11:09 and then had to wait another 10 hours before he could break his fast.

Speaking about the homes he is helping have built, each one costs £1,250 and everyone who has donated to him will be kept informed of their progress.

They are being built in safe villages in Northern Syria and will include a masjid, school, women’s safe space & will be close to SKT’s hospital which has been running since 2014. He ran as part of a fundraiser for SKT Welfare's Safe Haven Project.

Nazim, who has raised over £320,000 over the years for projects in Bradford and overseas, as well as gifts for children in hospital in Bradford and Airedale, has raised his target to £70,000 and will be keeping his fundraising page open for several more months.

To donate go to: https://www.sktwelfare.org/giving-together/nazima/007/

You can see a SKT video taken in 2020 of the work being carried out and giving details of the project at: https://youtu.be/twM5XMm6bpI