A POULTON nurse is running this year's Flora London Marathon to raise money for terminally ill children in Blackpool.

Gillian Marshall, a gynaecology theatre nurse at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, will endure the gruelling 26-mile race on April 18 to raise funds for Brian House Children's Hospice at Bispham.

She wanted to raise funds after visiting the Low Moor Road unit with her husband Tony, president of Poulton Rotary Club which sponsors Brian House.

"I am hoping to raise as much money as possible for Brian House as they do a fantastic job. They really rely on people donating money -- it's a worthy cause," said Gillian, of Derby Road, Poulton.

""It is going to be a challenge but it is something I may not get the chance to do again so I am really looking forward to it.

"My children think I'm mad. My husband also thinks I'm mad but he's going along with it," she laughed.

But she's taking her training very seriously. "With having a family and working as well it's just having the time to have a run.

"It's not easy finding two and half hours out of a day. Sometimes it's an effort to have to go and run."

She said she has always 'run a bit', including taking part in Blackpool 10K fun runs. "That's only six miles which at one time seemed a lot, but it's nothing now!"

And if you want to sponsor Gillian just call into The Citizen on Clifton Street, Blackpool, and put your name on the sponsor form in reception.

Fylde MP Michael Jack will also be running this year's Flora London Marathon to raise funds for the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS).

The Lytham St Annes based MP, whose wife is patron of the local NOS group, said he was 'delighted' to be running for the charity, which funds osteoporosis research and provides information to schools, health professionals and those with 'brittle bones'.

Team Osteoporosis runners raised more than £38,000 in sponsorship in last year's Flora London Marathon, and the charity is hoping to raise even more this year.

For more details on running the marathon for the NOS email Jo-Anne Morris at j.morris@nos.org.uk or telephone 01761 471771.