A TEENAGER from Brantham will spend her 18th birthday tackling the London Marathon... as the youngest runner taking part.

Rebecca Manners, of Temple Pattle, decided to celebrate her big day on April 24 with a 26.2 mile run after watching her parents take part in last year’s marathon.

No one under the age of 18 can take part in the gruelling test of endurance, and Rebecca is delighted to be joining in at the earliest age possible.

She has juggled revision for her final year of A-levels at Colchester Sixth Form College with training vigorously for the event.

“My parents have always been running and over the past four years I’ve gone to watch them,” said Rebecca.

“I get to see how much they enjoy doing it and last year I just decided I would go for it on my next birthday.

“I’ve never run before, but now I train three times a week.

“I am a bit nervous, but very excited to be doing it.”

Rebecca said her parents were proud of her for taking part, although she expected her dad to get a bit of a head start when the three of them set off together.

The 17-year-old will also be raising money for VICTA, a charity that supports blind and visually impaired children.