BROTHERS are in training to run the London Marathon to support a charity which helped a five-year-old battle liver disease.

Alex and Evan Herbert, of St Cyrus Road in Colchester, are set to tackle the 26-mile run in April in aid of the Children's Liver Disease Foundation.

The pair chose to support the charity after Oscar, a family friend, underwent a life-saving liver transplant at King's College Hospital in London, in 2012.

The charity supported Oscar and his family, who live in the Colchester area.

Oscar is now a healthy little boy who enjoys swimming, going to school and supporting Ipswich Town Football Club.

Evan, who is commercial manager at Marks and Spencer in Colchester, said: "Oscar was six-months-old at the time.

"Without the liver transplant, he would have died. He was given a year to live."

The 25-year-old and his brother decided they wanted to run the marathon after last year's inspired them.

Evan added: "This was the cause closest to mine and Alex's hearts and Oscar's parents are thrilled we're doing it too.

"We have been training for the last six to eight months and so far it's going as we had planned it to, so we are on track."

The brothers have a clutch of half marathons booked up over the coming weeks as part of their training programme, including in Great Bentley and Norwich.

Alex, 23, is a sales negotiator at Palmer and Partners estate agents in Colchester and the pair have also managed to train together about three times a week on their time off.

They're being supported by their mum Barbara and their girlfriends Lois and Bethany who plan to watch them run on the big day.

The Children's Liver Disease Foundation pays for research into the disease and supports families upon diagnosis.

The brothers aims to raise £4,000.

They are holding a quiz night in Colchester on March 17 to support their fundraising.

Although tickets are already sold out, they are appealing to businesses to donate raffle or auction prizes for the event.

If you can help, email Evan at evan11197@hotmail.com

You can sponsor Alex and Evan at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/EvanandAlexHerbert