WHEN he was born, if you had told Deborah McMurray her son Ben would later be on the verge of cycling 50 miles for charity, she would have had a hard time believing you.

The cycling-mad schoolboy weighed just 2lb 15oz eight years ago and spent nearly a month in the Royal Alexandra Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).

He was eventually allowed to return home to Kilbarchan on Mother’s Day in 2011 but his parents – Deborah, 34, and 35-year-old Allan – feared he had suffered irreversible health problems.

But Ben has overcome his difficult start in life and is a thriving eight-year-old who loves nothing more than spending time on his bike.

The Gazette: Ben on his return home after three weeks at the RAH Ben on his return home after three weeks at the RAH

Now the Kilbarchan Primary youngster will take on the daunting 47-mile Glasgow-to-Edinburgh bike run to give something back to the people who were there for him when he was born.

Proud mum Deborah said: “I was going to SCBU three times a week during my pregnancy and I dread to think what could have happened if it hadn’t been for them.

“Premature is premature, no matter the time, and he could easily have had more complications because of it.

“He was lucky and this is our way of repaying the staff.”

Ben first discovered his love of cycling when he was aged just two and now the whole family – six-year-old sister Olivia included – can’t get enough of it.

The Gazette: The tot with his first wheels The tot with his first wheels

“I wouldn’t call us a cycling family but Ben started to do it, so we all joined in,” said

Deborah, who will cycle with Ben in the Pedal for Scotland challenge.

“He says ‘I’ll just go on my bike, mum.’ It doesn’t phase him. We are doing it together and he has said I will struggle – and he’s probably not wrong.

“This is a different challenge and he can’t wait to give something back. He’s quite small for his age and his sister is actually taller than him, so he flies around like a whippet.

“He thinks he will be the next Chris Hoy, which is very sweet.

“We are all so very proud of him and know he will be brilliant.”

Search Ben McMurray on JustGiving to donate.

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