Husband and wife Michael and Clare Stynes, of Seend, will run Sunday’s London Marathon for the Anthony Nolan Trust.

The charity has a register of bone marrow donors to help people who have leukaemia.

Mrs Stynes, 38, has been on the register of donors for a number of years.

She and her husband, who are mental health nurses and have three children, have run the marathon before.

Mrs Stynes hopes to complete it in four-and-a-half hours this time, while her husband, 46, is aiming to finish more quickly, in three hours and 45 minutes.

The couple aim to raise £2,500 and have been boosted by support from village residents, as an auction of promises and a raffle raised nearly £1,000.

Anyone who wants to help them to their target can visit www.virginmoneygiving.com /team/michaelandclare.

Two Corsham men, who coach a children’s football team, are looking forward to completing this weekend’s marathon and raising money to support Children with Cancer UK.

Friends Leigh McCarron, 37, and Robbie White, 40, who ran the 26.2-mile endurance event together last year, hope to raise about £4,000 for the charity by completing the marathon and also through a series of forthcoming fund-raising events.

The two men, who run the Chippenham Under-9s football team, have both been struggling with injuries.

Mr McCarron has a calf strain, while Mr White has a knee tendon problem, but both are determined to complete the full London course.

Mr McCarron, of Masons Way, said: “We have been very limited to what training we can do, because of the injuries we have been carrying, but we are determined to complete the marathon.

“I think the fact we ran it together last year will be a huge benefit to us, as we can learn from mistakes we made and not set off like we think we are going to win it.”

After the marathon, the pair’s next fundraising event for Children with Cancer UK will be a race night, an auction and karaoke session on Saturday, April 28, at the Great Western, in Pound Pill, Corsham.

To sponsor Mr McCarron and Mr White’s efforts, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ leigh_robbie.