Peterborough amateur athletes ready to run London Marathon in memory of loved ones

The London Marathon takes place on Sunday, and Peterborough runners will each have their own story and reason for competing.

Emma Willis will have her husband in her thoughts as she takes on the challenge. James died aged just 30 late last year after suffering a brain haemorrhage. He was already battling Stage Four Sarcoma Cancer at the time. Emma (27) will be raising money for Sarcoma UK.

Detective Adam Blake will be hoping to do Cambridgeshire police proud as the Peterborough officer takes on the 26 miles for the first time - just weeks before his 50th birthday.

Four years ago he weighed 18 stone - but now the dad of two will be raising money for the National Police Roll of Honour Trust, which pays tribute to officers killed in the line of duty.

Grandfather Del Singh, from Eastfield has also been on a weight loss journey, having had gastric surgery to cut his weight from 25 stone. He will be running to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Julie Tebb, Informatics Training and Support Officer at Peterborough City Hospital had to put running on hold for a while after being diagnosed with Primary Hyperparathyroid disease - which causes too much calcium to be produced by the thyroid gland - last year. She had surgery in October, which allowed her to get back running. She is raising money for Hypopara UK.

Stephen Graves, The former Chief Executive of North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, who retired in September 2018, will be running to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK, as both his father and his father-in-law suffered from dementia.

Aiden Cooper will also be raising money for a dementia charity - Dementia Revolution - after the death of his granddad - and former Posh hero - Ron Cooper.

Teacher Joanna Cook will raise money for Thorpe Hall Hospice, after her mum. Julia, was given care there before she died in 2017.