POSTIE and marathon runner Dale Connearn is taking his family on a holiday of a lifetime to America -- and fitting in a fundraising run at the same time.

Dale, 34, of Bankfield Street, Stacksteads, is going to St Petersburg near Tampa in Florida on Boxing Day with his wife Diana, and children Genna, 13, Antoni, six, and Philippa, four.

He completed the New York Marathon last year and while out there found out about the Disneyworld marathon. He said: "I then fitted a holiday around the run!

"We will start off in St Petersburg and see the New Year in while we are there and then move on to Orlando.

"The run is on January 6 and I will have to be in position around 4.30am for a 6am start. They have to start early because of the heat and I should complete the run by 9.30am.

"I am giving my sponsors a rest this time but have allowed Cherry Tree Pre-School in Rawtenstall to use my run as a way of making money and they are organising the sponsorship.

"The run takes in the four theme parks of the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, the Animal Kingdom and MGM Studios, starting and finishing near Epcot.

"I just hope I am fit enough to walk round Disney after it!"

Dale has entered for the London Marathon again next year and is still waiting to find out if he has been selected.

But he said: "I have decided not to do any more marathons because I don't have the time available to properly commit myself to training and if I am going to do something I really prefer to go for it."

yes, treasurer of the nursery, said: "We have made sponsor forms and distributed them among staff and parents to persuade people to sponsor Dale's run. We are a registered charity and aim to provide parents with children with the chance to go back to work part-time and have their children cared for."

The centre runs sessions at £4 a time which have now been increased from two-and-a-half hours to four hours a day.

The centre recently held a Christmas Fair which raised £622 and received a Children First grant of £4,600.

There are 25 children aged two to five who attend the nursery.