A MUM and son are both running the London Marathon this year - but for different charities.

Alison Knights, 46, and son Adam, 19, decided together to take part, but to spread out their fundraising.

Childminder Alison, who works from her Heath Road home along with husband Phil, chose Children with Cancer UK as her charity to support.

She said: “Fortunately I have not come across anyone with cancer but I have some adult friends going through cancer treatment themselves.

“Knowing how difficult it is for them, it must be so much harder with children."

Adam, a music student at the Colchester Institute, selected deaf-blind charity Sense to benefit from his 26.2 mile effort.

He said: “I just thought it was a really good cause - out of all of the charities out there I felt it was the most deserving of the lot.

“I am excited and anxious, it is such a massive thing and a bit scary.

“It will be well worth it though.”

It is the first marathon for the pair and they have both entered the Colchester half marathon as a training event.

This year’s Virgin London Marathon is on April 22.

To sponsor Alison visit her Justgiving page or to sponsor Adam go to his site.

Read more in today's Gazette.