BORDERS football referee Craig Lowrie will set off on his epic Source to the Sea challenge this Friday morning.

And over the weekend he hopes to cover more than 100 miles as he follows the path of the River Tweed to the North Sea.

The 37-year-old former Kelso United and Leithen Rovers player from Selkirk is raising money for the cousin of his wife.

Taylor Scott from Galashiels became a teenager on Christmas Day.

Just a few days later she was taken into hospital after feeling unwell - and later diagnosed with Leukemia.

In an effort to send Taylor on her dream trip to Japan, Craig is fundraising with his three ultra marathons in three days.

Craig told us: “I am as ready as I’m ever going to be.

“Each day will be between 31 and 35 miles of running on tracks, roads and river banks. I know it’s going to be tough but it will be worth it.” Craig will leave from the remote source of the Tweed, above Moffat, on Friday at 9am.

He expects to reach Vale of Leithen’s Victoria Park - some 34 miles away - at around 5.30pm.

A similar distance to Kelso United’s Woodside Park on day two is expected to take from 9am to around 6pm.

And the third day of running will see him cover 32 miles as he crosses the border into England before reaching the North Sea at Berwick at around 5pm.

Amongst his running partners on the first two days is the Border Telegraph’s football reporter David Knox.

David said: “Craig has trained hard and should be ready to complete this challenge.

“The hardest part will be running with dead legs on the second and third days but he knows what he is in for and he’ll keep going.” Fellow football journalist Kenny Paterson will also run one of the legs and Leithen Rovers defender Dave Paterson will join Craig on Day 2.

The runners will leave the source on Friday at 10am.

They hope to reach Tweedsmuir at around 11.30am, Drumzelier at 2pm, Peebles at around 4.30pm and Victoria Park around an hour later.

On Saturday they plan to be at Yair Bridge by noon, Netherdale at around 1pm, Mertoun Bridge at 3pm and Woodside Park around 6pm.

Craig added: “The support has been tremendous so far and there are lots of people coming forward to help.

“I’d like to thank the Corner House in Innerleithen who have given us free accommodation on the Friday night.” Taylor’s mum and dad, Tanya (Hartley) and Jamie Scott, left Galashiels 16 years ago for life in the army.

The family settled in Maidstone more recently.

Since 13-year-old Taylor was diagnosed with Leukemia she has began a three-year course of chemotherapy treatment and is now confined to a wheelchair.

Tanya told us: “She realises she has cancer but it isn’t getting her down.” It is unlikely Taylor will be able to travel as far as Japan until nearer the end of her three-year treatment.

To sponsor Craig or to sign up for the Source to the Sea Challenge visit www.gofundme.com/source2sea