Slaithwaite Marine in Edinburgh Marathon challenge

Apr 1 2009 By Neil Atkinson

FOR the past six months he has been on the front line, battling the Taliban.

Now Royal Marine commando Dan Sykes, of Slaithwaite, faces a different kind of battle.

He and his fellow troops are due back from the war in Afghanistan at the end of this month.

But they will not be putting their feet up.

Instead, the men from 45 Commando Royal Marines will be pounding the streets of Edinburgh.

The troops are running in the famous Edinburgh Marathon on May 31. They plan to carry a Page 3 glamour model on a stretcher around the 26-mile route through the historic streets – and raise vital cash for Britain’s wounded soldiers.

All the money they raise is for the Help Our heroes funds.

Dan, 21, is a former Colne Valley High School student who joined up in October 2007.