A student is preparing to run the London Marathon in memory of her father, who was deputy head of a local school.

Claire Leaver, 20, of Burley-in-Wharfedale, is hoping her first marathon will raise over £1,000 for research into the brain disease meningitis, which claimed the life of her father Kevin.

She also hopes to raise awareness of the fact that meningitis can kill adults as well as babies and older children.

Mr Leaver, deputy head at St Mary's RC Comprehensive School at Menston, died aged 50 in January last year after contracting the illness.

Since his death the geography teacher's family - which includes his widow Lesley and younger daughter Laura, 17 - have raised funds for the Bristol-based Spencer Dayman Meningitis Research Laboratories through events such as a sponsored walk.

Now Claire, a geography student at Hull University, is appealing for sponsors to back her on the 26-mile marathon.

She said the whole family had been devastated by her father's death and she had decided to dedicate the run to his memory.

"I decided to do it in dad's memory because he used to take me training and to all my cross-country races," she said. "Hopefully this will raise awareness of meningitis.''

Claire - who runs cross-country for Cleckheaton-based Spenborough Athletics Club and for her university - hopes to complete her debut marathon in under five hours.

Her training programme, which she is fitting in while working as a part-time care assistant at an Ilkley nursing home during her Easter break, includes 15-mile daily runs in the Burley area.

Anyone wanting to sponsor Claire is asked to call 07778 223779.