PANTING his way round the London Marathon course is a distinct possibility for one Wythall runner.

If more than 50 people sponsor Conrad Beighton £15 or more online before the race on April 22, he has agreed to run in just his underwear.

With 47 people donating the required sum so far, it looks like he may have to keep his promise.

Mr Beighton, 35, is taking part to raise funds for the Prostate Cancer charity as his dad Alan survived the disease.

"It was obviously very traumatic and I wanted to do something to say thank you for all the help and support we got," he said.

So far he has raised £2,500 and he hopes this will increase to £3,000.

One difficult aspect of his training was giving up alcohol for the past 10 weeks but he has got through it and is now building up to the big race. To sponsor him, visit the website www.justgiving.com/conradb Kerry Davis, 35, from Winyates East is another local marathon entrant. A crew commander in the fire service, she is running for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

"I've wanted to run the marathon for a long time but have always been rejected," she said.

"My mum suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and has been helped by the charity herself. I thought running for them would give something back.

"I was in the Army before the fire service and I had to be fit for those jobs. I felt lucky when I found out I was running but I probably won't feel the same way at the end of the race."

Beth Goucher, 28, from Matchborough, is running for the Meningitis Trust after her niece Niamh contracted the virus when she was just seven weeks old.

"Fortunately she was one of the lucky ones and is now a healthy, happy 14-month-old. However there are many children and families who are not so lucky," she said.

Visitors to Arrow Valley Park may have seen Beth training by running laps around the lake with her black labrador Boon keeping her company. To sponsor her, visit www.justgiving.com/bethlondonmarathon A pair of friends who like to set themselves challenges are running the marathon for the first time.

Alison Blackman, from Hunt End, and Gemma Clay, from Aston Fields, both 25, hope to raise more than £1,000 for CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA.

The next feat of endurance they are considering is cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats. To sponsor them, call 07855 922502 or visit www.bmycharity.com/v2/gemmaandalison