A Wirral journalist, who tragically lost both of his parents to cancer within seven months of each other, will run the London Marathon in their memory this Autumn.

The Globe's Audience & Content Editor, Richard Garnett, will take on the 26.2 mile internationally-acclaimed challenge after securing a charity place, running for Children With Cancer UK.

This will be the second time that Richard, who is also the paper's Tranmere Rovers correspondent, has competed in the event, after running in April 2019 three months after his mother, Barbara Garnett, passed away, but this time the challenge will have even greater meaning.

Richard said: "It was a dream to run London in 2019 and doing it in mum's memory really helped me through a difficult moment.

"But what happened after that was scarcely believable."

The family were only just coming to terms with the loss of Barbara at the age of 70, when Richard's father, James Garnett, was diagnosed with cancer of an unknown origin.

By October of the same year he had passed away, aged 73, in Wirral Hospice St John's, just as his wife Barbara had in February.

The Coronavirus pandemic prevented Richard from running in last year's race, but after he was offered another opportunity this year, he has decided to take on the challenge and use it draw a line under what has been a gruelling period of loss for himself, sister Claire and their families.

Richard said: "Lockdown has been a mixed bag for me fitness-wise. I started off full of it, running all the time and keeping myself in decent nick, but the second lockdown has been a totally different story. It's been a struggle.

"Hopefully now that I have a tough target to aim for it will put me back in the zone and I can raise as much money as possible for Children with Cancer UK.

"Although my parents' lives were cut unfairly short, they still had very good lives. The more we can do to give children with cancer the same chances and opportunities in life the better things will be.

The London Marathon 2021 takes place in the capital on Sunday, October 3.

To help Richard reach his fundraising target, click here.