GRANDMOTHER Brenda Fullard has been battling the cold weather and running up to 40 miles a week to get fit for the London Marathon.

Brenda, 47, of Dunderdale Avenue, Nelson, began training after Christmas for the marathon which takes place on April 22.

This will be the second time she has laced up her trainers for the gruelling race and this year she hopes to beat her previous time of three hours 53 minutes.

She raised £750 last year for the charity SCIP, a scheme which arranges for disabled and able bodied children from East Lancashire to play together.

Brenda, whose 13-year-old nephew David has been disabled since he contracted meningitis as a baby, hopes to collect even more this time for the national charity PHAB.

Activities at PHAB clubs include holidays and training for disabled and able bodied people.

The club also provides help for local communities in accepting disabled people in all aspects of daily life.

Brenda said: "If I can run faster than last year when I am a year older I will be very pleased. I want to raise as much money as possible.

"David is in a wheelchair and it's difficult for him to move around so any activity he can do with other people and not just with his family is a huge support for him and his family.

"He is so dependent on his family that these clubs take away so much of the strain. He really enjoys them and I want to see one set up locally."

Brenda, who is a public health specialist for the East Lancashire Health Authority, trains a couple of nights during the week as well as completing a long run of 18 miles at the weekend.

Anyone who wants to sponsor Brenda can contact her on 01282 610243 (day) or 603818 (evening).