A Silsden man will celebrate becoming a pensioner by taking on the Great North Run and raising £6,500 - £100 for every year of his life.

Super-fit Peter Mitchell, who owns Dogsbody & Friends in the town, has competed 11 times over the years.

The Keighley and Craven Athletic Club member decided to do something extra special when he discovered this year's event fell on September 18 - his 65th birthday.

He said: "The run just happened to fall on my birthday so I thought I would make this one a bit special."

As a keen runner, Mr Mitchell wants to raise the money for Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association.

He said: "Anyone who is a fell runner will appreciate what the association does and they are all volunteers."

Mr Mitchell, who will be running with fellow athletic club member Phil Jones, of Steeton, is also hoping to smash a personal record and complete the course in under one hour and 45 minutes.

Although Mr Mitchell will now be entitled to a bus pass, he has no intentions of giving up his running: "I will keep on as long as I have my health."

So far, he has reached £1,200 and is looking for sponsorship.

Anyone who would like to support Mr Mitchell should contact him at the shop on Kirkgate.

o Friends Elizabeth Gillespie and Tracey Duxbury are set to take on the Newcastle run - in fancy dress.

The pair, both from Skipton, have previously run for charity dressed as M & M's, but on this occasion will don "naughty nurse" outfits complete with bed pans to collect money en route.

Their chosen charity is the Anthony Nolan Trust, currently the country's largest bone marrow register for children's leukaemia.

Mrs Gillespie, who is an accounts manager, will make the outfits.

The friends have already been pounding the streets in preparation for the 13-mile run and are training around three times a week, covering between eight and 10 miles on each run.

Mrs Gillespie has run the course before and said it was "absolutely fantastic".

She explained: "There's people of all ages and sizes. There's people cheering you on all the way around and even if you have not trained properly you'll finish it."

Race novice Mrs Duxbury, who works at the Cavendish pub in Embsay, is looking forward to the event.

"On Tuesday we ran 10 miles and I was fine at the end of that, apart from blisters," she said.

The women want to raise at least £500 for charity.

Anyone who would like to sponsor them can contact Mrs Duxbury on 01756 792864.

o Three teachers from Gisburn Road Primary School will be putting their best feet forward to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease.

Teachers Helen Gildea, Christine Town and Nick Browne, along with Helen's husband Peter and friend Karen Smith, will take on the challenge on September 18.

Christine and Karen decided to do the run for friend Tonia Hilton, 46, of Barnoldswick, who suffers from the disease.

They were quickly joined by the other three members. The team is also aiming to raise funds for the school.

Christine said: "We have been doing quite a lot of training. We are quite excited and are looking forward to it. Tonia is very proud of us all."

The runners have set themselves a target of £2,000 and anyone wishing to sponsor them can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/living-lifers.

o John Beswick, of East View Terrace, will be taking up the challenge for the first time.

Mr Beswick aims to raise £300 each for Scope, Barnoldswick and Earby Bosom Friends and Earby Surgeries.

He said: "It is something I have always wanted to do. Last year my sister did it so that gave me inspiration."

o Chiropodist Chris Jones will be on his feet for 13 miles during the Great North Run.

Mr Jones, who practises on Sackville Street, has been inspired to take part through his father, Barrie's on-off battle with Crohn's disease for the last 35 years.

He has so far raised more than £1,000 for The National Association for Colitis and Crohn's Disease (NACC) and the organisation will use the money to fund more specialist nurses.

Barrie, who is also a chiropodist, was diagnosed with Crohn's in his early 20s and has undergone several operations to remove parts of his bowel.

"A lot of people have come in to see me over the years with similar problems and they talk to me about it," said Barrie.

Anyone who would like to donate to Chris' fundrasier for NACC can make donations by calling into the practice.

o Silsden man David Harper has joined L'Arche's Great North Run team.

The charity, which helps people with learning disabilities, has its headquarters in the town and appealed for runners to boost its funds.

David, who works in Bradford for the Yorkshire Building Society, already had a place when he saw L'Arche's plea in the Craven Herald.

His target is to raise at least £750 and he has already been backed by his employer's Charitable Foundation with a donation of £400.