FANCY running the London Marathon next year?

Wirral based cancer charity Maggie's Merseyside has golden bond places available for anyone who want to run for the organisation.

Based in Clatterbridge Cancer Care Centre, Maggie's Merseyside provides free practical, emotional and social support to people who have been affected by cancer and has been visited more than 20,000 times since opening its doors in 2014.

A support package will be provided for anyone willing to run which includes a fundraising pack, training guides and a running vest.

This year on April 23, friends Faridah Brooker and Bev Faulkner from Heswall took on the Marathon for Maggie's after months of hard training and fundraising.

Before the challenge Bev said: "Training has been the hardest thing either of us have done but the support from our friends and family has made it possible and worthwhile.

"The money for Maggie's is the only motivator."

The pair were inspired after their friend Caroline started visiting the centre following her cancer diagnosis.

Faridah said: "I only entered the ballot as everyone else was - I had no intention of doing it.

"When I got a ballot place Bev and I decided we would do it together - I would never have done it on my own.

"The fundraising has been amazing - mainly down to Bev, I can't take much of the credit, and the support has been absolutely overwhelming.

"I wasn't prepared for the level of support we've received - its been very emotional."

Centre fundraising organiser at Maggie’s Sasha Mathias said: “We can’t thank Bev and Faridah enough for their efforts and enormous fundraising contribution to our centre – and we were so impressed by their determination.

"We’d love to allocate more gold bond places to anyone willing to run for us.”

For more information call fundraising manager Holly Smith  holly.smith@maggiescentres.org or fundraising organiser Sasha Mathias on sasha.mathias@maggiescentres.org or call 0151 334 4301.