A COUPLE has pledged to take on three marathons in just three days to raise money for a new cancer centre.

David Brady and Mat French (correct spelling), who know each other through living in Copford, will be walking from May 4 until May 6.

They will start in Lowestoft and walk back to Copford Green via Aldeburgh and Harwich.

The Copford residents have already raised more than £1,800 for the Colchester Hospital Charity's Cancer Centre Campaign, which will bring all cancer services together on one site in Turner Road.

David, 46, and Mat, 49, wanted to raise money in memory of a friend and local postman who died from cancer recently.

David said: "He found out he had six weeks to live and died after six weeks, aged 56.

"He was the cheery face of the village, everyone knew him. The village coped badly when he died as it was such a shock.

"It just made everyone very aware of their mortality, it was hideous and it has left a hole."

The duo have not done anything like this before, but wanted to test themselves.

David said: "We wanted to do something that was going to be really challenging.

"We have been training reasonably hard just to keep ourselves ticking over, but we are very apprehensive.

"Doing three marathons is just stupid, having not done anything of that extent before, but it's a battle worth having."

They are inviting people to get involved in the event on the final day.

They have four joining points for people to meet up with them - The Premier Inn in Harwich at 8am on May 6, the Village Maid Pub in Bradfield at 10am, the Green Island Gardens Tea Room in Ardleigh at 1.30pm and finally the Fat Cat Pub in Butt Road, Colchester at 3.30pm.

They hope to finish off at The Alma at 5.30pm - Derek Miller, pub landlord, had emergency cancer treatment just before Christmas and has made use of the cancer centre.

Visit copfordmarathons.weebly.com/