Captain Scott Fisher is on track to meet his fundraising mission after completing his 18th marathon yesterday.

The army captain has embarked on a mammoth challenge to run 27 marathons in 27 days to raise money for Mast Cell Action, a charity which supports his wife.

Scott's wife Megan, 26, was struck down with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) in 2018 following the birth of her child and now has to take 27 pills a day to manage her condition.

Speaking to KMTV, Scott explained why he is fundraising. He said: "I think there are a couple of things. The first one is raising money, which is critical, and then I think secondly is equipping our frontline medical staff with the knowledge, the tools and the pathways to help diagnose these people a lot earlier so we can start treatment when the first sort of triggers happen."

MCAS forms part of a spectrum of mast cell disorders and - due to its complex nature, a lack of universally accepted diagnostic criteria and access to tests under the NHS - it is challenging to diagnose.

It is a rare syndrome which affects only 17% of the general population.

Mast cells provide an important line of defence in our immune systems and in people affected by MCAS, their cells respond too frequently or excessively to things which are not typically considered harmful.

This can include foods, chemicals, drugs, fragrances, temperature, exercise, stress, hormonal fluctuations and infection.

The Royal Engineer, from Chatham, added: "A day in our lives is never easy but I do not think anyone's is. Life was never designed to be like that.

"I did not want to do something I knew my body could physically do. I wanted to do something that in my mind there would be a question as to whether my body would physically finish it, and I really wanted to make it about my mentality and putting myself through some painful experiences - something that Megan goes through every day."

The fundraising page has now totalled more than £191,000 and Scott has said he has already brought in 2000% more than the charity earned last year.

The 31-year-old continued: "When you put that in the context of how many people have mast cell activation syndrome, it is around £20 a head to find a cure for these people which is tiny.

"The money that I have raised has massively upped that game."

If you would like to donate, click here and you can also follow his journey on Instagram @marathons_4_mast_cell.