SOUTH East Cornwall will be represented by a strong contingent of local runners at this year's London Marathon, which takes place on Sunday (April 26).

There will be eight runners from the East Cornwall Harriers taking part in the iconic 26-mile event. For Sam Hunkin, Rob Lockyer, David Philp and Kaye Patterson it will be their first time at the event, while Mark Andrews will be clocking up his 14th trip around the course.

Oli Jones is aiming for a time of under three hours and David Philp hoping for a three-hour marathon. Also running is 18-year-old Rob Lockyer, Clive Shute and Diane Roy, with most of the Harriers running for charity.

Looe Pioneers will send two of their runners to London: Peter Heywood and Mark Deacon,

Mark, who lives in Saltash, will be running for the Happy Children's Hospital Fund at Derriford, and Peter, of Looe, will be supporting Ellie's Haven.

Peter, who was an Olympic Torchbearer in 2012, has overcome both bowel cancer and prostate cancer and says he is 'keen to demonstrate that you can survive cancer and be as fit and healthy as anyone else!'

The 69-year-old, who has competed in orienteering events for around 30 years, says he has always wanted to run the London Marathon.

He has already beaten his fundraising target of £1,500 for Ellie's Haven and now hopes to raise £2,000 for the charity, which is renovating a house in Duloe so that children with life-limiting or terminal illnesses can have holidays with their families.

Another runner supporting Ellie's Haven will be Natalie Storey. Natalie, a veteran of two marathons in Dubai, where she now lives, says that having grown up in Duloe, she holds the charity close to her heart.

A further participant who will have the town of Looe cheering her on is Victoria Thomas.

One of Looe RNLI's two female crew members, Victoria is an Emergency Department nurse with the Royal Navy in her day job. She says that as well as enabling her to raise funds to help the RNLI save lives at sea, London 2015 will present her with a personal challenge; it is the first time she will have run a marathon.