Brave Derek leads region's London marathon runners

Runners from Otley, Yeadon, Horsforth, Pool and Ilkley will be joining competitors from across the country on Sunday to take part in the 26 mile event.

Yeadon runner Derek Emsley, of Leslie Avenue, will be an inspiration to his fellow competitors when he competes in the race.

The athlete has terminal skin cancer and is running the London Marathon and the Three Peaks Fell Race on April 27 to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief.

The 46-year-old mechanic was told last August that he may only have six months to live, but he has continued to compete and win races.

He underwent chemotherapy treatment until February so that he would be fit in time for the races, it will be the fifth time he will have run the London Marathon.

Anyone wanting to sponsor Derek can contact Community Fundraiser Anna Jackson at the Leeds Macmillan Appeal Office on (0113) 2064082.

Last year runners in the marathon raised £31million for charity making it the United Kingdom's most successful annual fundraising event.

Wharfedale was touched by the plight of four-year-old Danielle Skilbeck who lost some of her limbs after contracting meningitis.

Family friend John Burland, of Otley, pledged to run the marathon to raise vital funds to fight the deadly disease.

The 50-year-old will be one of 150 runners raising money for The Meningitis Trust with his 19-year-old son Chris.

He has already completed the marathon twice, anyone wanting to sponsor him can make a donation via the HSBC Bank, Otley, sort code 40-35-33, account number 61399772.

Horsforth athlete Hilary Wharam will be running to raise money to build a disabled children's play area at Otley's Wharfemeadows Park.

She has run several marathons already and raised thousands of pounds for good causes, including the Otley Action for Older People's minibus appeal.

Donations can be sent to Otley Disability Advisory Group at Otley Civic Centre, or contact Audrey Gordolis on (01943) 463431.

Yeadon-based charity Epilepsy Action will have 18 fundraisers in the race including, Paul Tranter, from Otley and Lesley Peace.

This year will be the sixth time Paul has run the London race.

Pool-in-Wharfedale man Richard Downes has been on a vigorous training regime for months.

Richard, from Manor Gardens, was determined to lose weight after reaching nearly 16 stone.

He has been running as much as possible and has already shed the pounds.

Richard is taking part in the marathon to raise money for the children's charity VICTA.

Anybody wanting to make a pledge can call Epilepsy Action on 0113-2108800.

Local celebrities from television series Heartbeat and Emmerdale will also be joining the race. Emmerdale actors Chris Chittell, who plays Eric Pollard, and Tony Audenshaw, alias Bob Hope, will be competing along with Jason Durr, who plays Mike Bradley in Heartbeat.

Ilkley children's entertainer Amelia Whitaker is hoping to pull off an extra special magic trick this weekend - by finishing the race.

She has been in training for the last three months.

By collecting sponsors and holding several local fund-raising events, including a Shrove Tuesday pancake race and 'pos'' bingo evening, she has already smashed her £3,000 fund-raising target.

But now Mrs Whitaker is hoping all her preparation will help her achieve another goal, to cross the finishing line in under five hours.

She said: "I'm really excited and hopefully I've done enough training to hit my target time.

"With the weather improving it has been much easier to get motivated so I think I'm prepared.

"Saying that, it is supposed to be raining this weekend, but that could be quite nice for the runners because it should keep the temperatures down." All the money raised through Mrs Whitaker's marathon attempt is going to the Peper Harow Foundation, a charity which specialises in helping children in care.

Anyone who would like to support the cause can contact her by calling 01943-605091.

Two members of Ilkley's Bodies Health Club and Spa will be pounding the London streets to raise money for Epilepsy Action.

Peter Bedwell and Jackie Marsden are being joined by their friend Alan Gibson and are hoping to raise around £3,000.

Mr Bedwell, who works for Hodson Foster Financial Services in Ilkley, is tackling the race for the third time.

He clocked 3hrs 57mins last year and is aiming to better that this time.

Mr Bedwell, who will be 47 a week after the race, said: "Last year I ran with another colleague from the club and raised £2,500 so I will delighted if we can better that."

For the race Mr Bedwell will be wearing a special Epilepsy Action T-shirt with his name on the front.

"That's very important," he said. "It is very helpful in the last six miles to have the crowds shouting out your name."

An Ilkley woman will be fully backed by her husband when she tries to complete her first London Marathon.

Liz Merrick, of Rupert Road, will be joined by her spouse Andrew for the whole length of the famous race.

Mr Merrick, who completed his first mara-thon two years ago, has volunteered to run with his wife at a slower pace to help her through her debut race.

The couple also hope to raise £3,000 between them for the homeless charity Shelter.

Mrs Merrick said: "I started running again last year after quite a big gap, and did a half marathon, but this will be my first full one.

"I was inspired just by the challenge of trying to do something like this, because at my age, and with some of the back problems I've been having, it is something of a challenge!

"But the thing that really got me started was seeing my husband running his first marathon two years ago and I found myself really wishing that I was doing it, too.

"He has been incredibly supportive and has volunteered to run alongside me, even though he is a lot faster, which is really nice.

"I'd like to do it in about four and a quarter hours, that's what I'm aiming for."