STUDENTS of a teacher from Cromwell Community College, Chatteris, whose wife suffered three miscarriages took time out of half-term to organise a sponsored walk in aid of his fundraising campaign for pregnancy research.

Jon Scotland’s pupils walked a five-mile route through St Ives, starting and finishing at Houghton Mill, after hearing about his bid to raise £2,500 for Tommy’s, which helps to fund research into premature births and miscarriages.

The 31-year-old, of Drake Close, Hartford and his wife Emma almost gave up trying for a baby after two unsuccessful pregnancies, the first in 2009 at 13 weeks and another at 10 weeks.

The couple gave birth to Lily-Mei but she was born nine weeks premature and needed special care for five weeks.

They later tried for a second child but were again unsuccessful.

Mr Scotland has decided to run this year’s London Marathon to raise money for the cause, as well as organising a raffle with a shirt signed by Huntingdon Olympic and Strictly star Louis Smith.

He has raised £3,000 and hopes other donations, including those from his students’ sponsored walk on Monday, will push him over the £3,500 mark.

He said: “I thought it would be tough to achieve the £2,500 target before Christmas but the response has been phenomenal.

“This has been such a traumatic journey for us and we couldn’t imagine anyone else going through the same.

“If Tommy’s is able to reduce the chances of another family going through the same I hope that we can help in any small way we can.”

INFORMATION: To donate to Mr Scotland’s fundraising visit the website http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/jonrunningfortommys