A PAIR of friends from Knowle Park, Keighley, will be backing two different good causes when they both take part in the London Marathon next month.

Abbas Ali, 40, known as Taz, along with Akthar Ali, 38, will respectively be running to support Children with Cancer UK and British Heart Foundation.

They have been in training since July of last year, running progressively longer distances to build up their stamina.

Taz is health engagement co-ordinator at Keighley's Bangladeshi Community Association and Akthar drives a taxi for a local private hire firm.

Taz, who has never run a marathon before, said: "We've been running four times a week, doing a total of about 26 miles over the full week and doing the longer 15-and-a-half mile long run from Bar Lane along the canal.

"We've enjoyed the training. It was a struggle at first but we've seen our stamina and our timings improve.

"When we began we were hoping we'd be able to finish the London Marathon in under four hours, but I think we were being a bit unrealistic, as that's a time which professional runners would be happy with.

"Personally I'd be really pleased if I can finish in under five hours. I think Akthar will be a bit faster!

"I was a keen runner back when I was at school and college, but after that football and other sports took over. Now on Saturday mornings I'm up at 8am and going out for a run."

People can sponsor Taz by entering the name Abbas Ali on the uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/ fundraising web page. Or they can visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Akthar-Ali to sponsor Akthar.

This year's London Marathon takes place on April 23.