A BRAVE soldier welcomed in 2011 in style – by taking the first steps in a year-long 1,300 endurance challenge on the stroke of midnight.

Karl Hinett plans to travel the world and run a marathon every week this year in aid of a £3 million fundraising appeal to provide extra facilities for wounded troops being treated at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The campaign has particular significance for the 23-year-old, who spent 11 days in a coma after jumping from his blazing Warrior tank which was petrol-bombed in Iraq in 2005.

Following five years of slow and painful rehabilitation Karl, from Tipton, vowed to repay the doctors and nurses who brought him back to health after being discharged for the last time last month.

And his challenge got off to a fine start when he clocked a time of four hours and 35 minutes in his first marathon, which started as the clocks struck midnight at New Year in Zurich, Switzerland.

“It was really enjoyable and a nice way to bring in the New Year,” he said.