Commando takes on 630 mile south west coastal walk challenge

Lee Rulton was a commando engineer for five years and during the challenge will be wild camping at night

A former commando is taking on a 630 mile (1,013 km) walk to raise money for a charity who saved his son's life.

Lee and Hannah Rulton's son, Spencer, was trapped for 11 minutes in his mother's pelvis as he was born.

He was freed thanks to the specialist training of a midwife at Stroud Birth Centre in Gloucestershire.

Now Mr Rulton is embarking on a south west coast path walking challenge in support of the charity PROMPT Maternity Foundation, which trained the midwife.

He will walk on average 31.5 miles (50.6 km) every day for 20 days, rounding the south west peninsular and wild camping as he goes.

Based at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, PROMPT provides simulation training for midwives on complex deliveries.

Mr and Mrs Rulton, who also have a seven-year-old daughter, Ava-Dawn, say they have no doubt that without the PROMPT training Spencer - now aged three - would not have survived.

The challenge will see Lee Rulton take on a 630 mile walk around the south west coast path in aid of the charity that saved his son, Spencer

Known as shoulder dystocia, Spencer's head was delivered but his shoulder was trapped in the pelvis.

The midwife used a series of techniques she learned from a PROMPT training day to carefully manipulate the baby inside the pelvis to change its position.

When Spencer was finally delivered his parents watched for five minutes while midwives helped him take his first breath.

Mrs Rulton, who at the time lived in Dursley, but has since moved to Ilfracombe in Devon, said: "It was the most traumatic time of our lives and still affects us in ways now.

'Save a life'

"However every day we are so thankful to the midwives that were so calm and professional and did exactly what they had been trained to do."

Mrs Rulton is now a trustee of the charity and, along with her husband, has undertaken various fundraising events, including a skydive.

Mr Rulton added: "We hope to raise £5,000 in total, even if it buys one new training simulator it could save a child's life."

Mr Rulton sets out from Minehead in Somerset on 3 May and aims to reach Poole in Dorset on 22 May.

The former commando engineer said: "My military training will help me mentally, but it's knowing what PROMPT have done for my family that's going to spur me on."