AMONG those set to take part in one of England’s most arduous road races is a Newton Abbot mother of two who, in between an intense training regime, will host a special fundraising event to drum up funds for the charity she will be representing on London’s streets in April.

The London Marathon will see 30-year-old Harriet Thomas running for Team Sarcoma – Sarcoma UK is a national charity that funds research, offers support for anyone affected by sarcoma cancer and campaigns for better treatments.

Harriet has already raised more than £1,000 toward her £2,400 target for the charity, which is the only cancer charity in the UK focusing on all types of sarcoma.

With her four-legged companion Daisy by her side, Harriet has, in addition to working full-time, raising two children and overseeing a beauty business, been training hard, running many miles for the past 12 weeks, often late into the night.

‘Before January last year I had never run at all, never been to a gym, never done any exercise and then my best friend’s little sister got diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma,’ Harriet said.

‘My friend then started doing charity events to raise money and awareness.

‘One of the events was a half-marathon which I signed myself up for and everyone kind of laughed at me,’ she added.

‘I started training and it was pretty savage but I did it and after completing the half-marathon in June I thought, “what else is there, what else can I do?”

‘And so I crazily signed up to do the London Marathon and I got accepted so since October I have been training three nights a week.

Every weekend from now until April Harriet, with Daisy by her side, will be running a minimum of a half-marathon.

‘So many people don’t know about Sarcoma UK as a charity , Harriet said.

‘It generally affects younger people, bone cancer, which I think is why it hits home for me.

‘I am only 30 and I just think oh my gosh that could be me – I have two young children and I can’t even imagine going through that at such a young age.

‘I love knowing I am doing something selfless for charity – I feel like I am doing a tiny bit to help, which I know sounds stupid because it is a drop in the ocean,’ she added.

Harriet will hold a special, pre-London Marathon charity event at the Recreational Trust in Newton Abbot on Sunday, February 26.

The charity event, which kicks off at 11am, will include a raffle, bake sale, clothes sale, childrens entertainment and much more besides.

Several local businesses have donated prizes for the raffle, including Pizza Cafe, Tumbling Teds Play House and Bovey Castle. There will also be a silent auction for a hamper of designer perfumes donated by Austins Department Store, worth more than £500.

All proceeds from the charity event will go toward Sarcoma UK.