'British Forrest Gump' Jamie McDonald beaten and robbed in New Years attack in Canada

The fundraiser said all his possessions were stolen in the incident in Banff

Fundraiser Jamie McDonald who is running across Canada dressed as The Flash to raise money for children's hospitals. (Facebook/JamieMcDonald)

A charity fundraiser from Gloucester has been attacked whilst attempting to run across Canada.

Jamie McDonald, 27, was beaten over the head and robbed on New Year’s Eve in the southern ski resort of Banff, 126 km west of Calgary.

He had been celebrating the new year with a crowd of people and was set upon after moving from the street to an apartment building.

He said his bag containing film footage of his journey, camera, wallet and “all [his] possessions” amounting to a “million dollars in fundraising” were taken.

Known as the “British Forrest Gump”, he is running to raise money for children's hospitals, dressed as comic superhero The Flash after he asked Twitter and Facebook users to choose his costume.

Mr McDonald has less than 600 miles to go in his 5,000 mile-long mission to run across Canada and is currently tackling the Rocky Mountains.

He has launched an appeal on social networking websites in a bid to get the bag back.

On Twitter he said: “This is a call out, anyone in #Banff, hand over a bag that is the difference in changing this world. Thank you so much!

He also tweeted: "Thank you all for your support. I just want to say that all that can be done is being done and I'm OK physically, just a bit shaken up."

So far he has made £70,000 in a fundraising drive, and has slept by the side of the road and relied on the generosity of strangers as he is without a support team.

He began in St John's, Labrador, in March and hopes to finish in Vancouver after passing through mountain ranges, national parks and along highways.

Fundraiser Jamie McDonald (right) arriving in Banff where he was attacked and robbed on New Year's Eve (Twitter/Jamie McDonald)

Mr McDonald suffered from a debilitating immune deficiency and potentially fatal spinal condition as a child, and spent the first nine years of his life in and out of children's hospitals. He is running to raise funds for SickKids Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and the Pied Piper Appeal.

He currently holds a world record for static cycling after he pedalled for 265 hours straight - the equivalent of 11 days - last year.

Additional reporting by Press Association