Players at Sandbach Rugby Club are taking on an endurance challenge to raise money in memory of seven-year-old Patryk Milner, who tragically died last year.

The Run 4 Patryk challenge will test the more than 20 players and club members taking part both physically and mentally as they run 4km every four hours for two days.

Fundraising has already got off to a good start having broken initial targets, with the total raised currently sitting at nearly £16,000 at the time of writing.

Andrew Bird, the director of rugby at the club, will be taking part and says the money raised will help fund local sporting initiatives, particularly targeting children.

He told Sandbach Nub News: "It's all in memory of Patryk. Most of the lads who are running have got a real connection with him and his family. They've known Andy and Aggie [Milner] for most of their adult life.

"Patryk was always at the rugby club because his mum and dad worked there, so whether it was going into the gym or turning up for training on a Tuesday or Thursday, he would always be there playing outside."

Patryk lost consciousness while at Offley Primary School on 2 October and was flown by air ambulance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital where he lost his life despite the medical staff's best efforts.

The club says his parents consented to his organs being donated which resulted in "an adult and a young child received multi-successful life-changing organ transplants".

The Run 4 Patryk challenge is part of a series of charitable events that will raise money for the Patryk Milner Memorial Fund.

This will help fund initiatives such as having a sports coach go out to local schools and the rugby club and establishing an all-weather junior coaching/training area at the club that will be available to the whole community.

On the fundraising efforts, Andrew said: "We've reached and a lot of local businesses are supporting us. The Sandbach Roundtable has donated £1,000, for example, as well as a large donation from Sandbach Demolition, so it's all going well."

He also welcomed the number of individual donors from across Sandbach and further afield, saying: "There are a lot of people who have donated £5 or £10, which is just as good."

The challenge is set to take place over the May bank holiday weekend.

If you would like donate to the Run 4 Patryk challenge, you can do so via the Just Giving page.