A SOLDIER is dedicating his run in this year’s Maldon Half Marathon to a man who died following an incident in the town centre.

Army Corporal Toby Newman, 27, will be raising money for the family of Daryl Bunn, who died in Addenbrooke’s Hospital on June 30, the day after the incident.

Two men, aged 22 and 23 from Southminster, were later arrested on suspicion of murder and grievous bodily harm and have since been released on bail.

Toby is dedicating the half marathon on September 29 to Daryl’s fiancée and family.

He said: “I have done a marathon in Kenya last year for charity and this year I’m taking it a bit easier by doing half marathons.

“After hearing about the tragic news of Daryl Bunn being unfairly taken from us, I want to raise as much money possible to donate to the family to get them away on a holiday or just to help out to hopefully bring a smile to their faces.

“Please give whatever you can to help me raise money for a family whose son, brother and fiancée was taken far too soon from them.

“No family should ever have to go through this.

“I hope this is one way of letting them know that they have all of our support.

Mr Bunn’s fiancée, Hannah Shynn, said she was moved by the big-hearted gesture.

She said: “It’s been so nice to hear from so many different people these past few weeks and all the lovely messages really do take over from the heartbreak and pain we are going through at the moment.

“That is so lovely, we have all been looking at raising money in Daryl’s name in the near future and I think it would be so nice to donate even more money for our two chosen charities - Essex Air Ambulance and Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

“Both cared for Daryl so well in his final few hours.”

She added: “We really can’t believe how kind people can be.”

For details, visit www.gofundme.com/1oplhemk9c.