AN ARMY veteran will tackle seven challenging races in eight weeks to raise money for an Armed Forces mental health charity.

Danny Blowes, 28, from Great Baddow, saw combat on a daily basis when he served in Afghanistan in 2007 with the Royal Anglian Regiment’s 1st Battalion.

On his return, he was discharged due to having reduced hearing in his left ear and he began suffering depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

He has received a referral for support from charity Combat Stress, which helps veterans cope with conditions such as PTSD, but faces up to a 12-week wait as the charity struggles to cope with demand for its services.

He said: “It can be very difficult to adjust to civilian life after leaving the Army and I suffer from depression and PTSD as a result of my time in Afghanistan.

“With the PTSD, I get nightmares where I’m in combat shooting people and I also get flashbacks.

“Anything can set this off – it could be a flash of sunlight, a loud bang, a firework and for that moment, and sometimes for up to an hour, my mind will be on that flashback.

"I can’t think of anything else.

“I’m always on edge. I’m always worried about a threat, so I can be in a busy pub and find myself constantly looking around for threats and find it difficult to concentrate on conversations.

“The long wait for support with Combat Stress shows how desperate it is for money and help, it’s so important.”

In September, former Private Blowes, pictured left, will take part in the Richmond Half Marathon, the 10km Twilight Run, the Nuclear Fallout run, in Brentwood, and the Born Survivor Run, in Manchester.

He will finish his challenge in October with the Cardiff Half Marathon and Chelmsford Marathon. He said: “I’ve seen and experienced the horrors of war and the effect it has on soldiers when they come home.

“Combat Stress is a fantastic charity that helps veterans like myself cope with their conditions and helps them live normal lives.

“It needs all the support it can get for the great work it does.

"Remember, not all wounds and scars are visible.”

You can donate at: just giving.com/Daniel-Blowes/