Twin sisters are running the Virtual London Marathon on Sunday ( 23 April) for two people close to them who lost their battles with cancer.

Nikita and Danielle Connan will be running 26 miles this Sunday for their cousin Nat, who passed away in November 2022, and their friend Harry who died in 2019.

The sisters decided to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity which supported their cousin through her fight with melanoma at 28 years old.

Nik says she vowed never to do another marathon again after running one in memory of her grandfather in 2021.

"When Nat was diagnosed with cancer, again, I decided I was signing up and managed to convince Danielle to do it."

Natalie was a keen runner so the twins decided to take on the challenge to show she was not alone in her four-year battle with the disease.

The route they have decided to take will start at Les Quennevais Sports Centre at 8:30 am, heading towards the harbour and along the front, then towards Mont Cochon, through St Mary's and back to the sports centre.

Family and friends will be out supporting the women through their run and ending the marathon with banners, music and prosecco.

 Danielle says due to the pandemic and cost of living crisis people do not have the disposable income they once had to donate to charity.

"I guess when you do a challenge people are more inclined to help you and support you in a way that they can by giving what they can to help you get through the challenge mentally."

"It always gives you that boost as well to know that you are doing it for another reason, for me personally, this is my first marathon, so I think if I was doing it for fun I wouldn't put the same effort in, as if I was doing it on behalf of a charity."

So far the sisters have raised three times the amount they set out to achieve but are hoping to donate as much money as possible.