A Neston solicitor will be tackling the Virgin Money London Marathon this weekend to raise money for Age UK.

Annie Thomas, a private client solicitor at Kirwans law firm, which has offices across Wirral, Liverpool and Southport, decided to take on the gruelling 26.2 mile run after building links with the charity through her legal work.

Kirwans regularly attend and assist at Age UK to help service users with free wills and Legal Power of Attorney advice, and Annie draws up wills as part of the ongoing scheme at their drop-in centre.

As she became more familiar with the charity, she decided she wanted to do more to help, so applied for a place on the London Marathon.

She said: “My clients are often elderly themselves, so I see first-hand the issues that older people can face and I really wanted to do more.

“After giving it some thought, I decided that running the London Marathon was an ideal way to raise much-needed funds for Age UK, so that they can provide even more invaluable support to older people who may be vulnerable, isolated, and lonely.

“It has been quite a challenge fitting a training routine into my schedule, but it’s been worth it knowing that my efforts will make a difference.”

Age UK is the country’s largest charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. The organisation helps more than seven million people every year, providing companionship, advice and support for older people who need it most.

Head of businesss development at Age UK Wirral Malcolm Mottershead said: “We are very pleased to have Annie taking part in the London Marathon to raise vital funds for our charity that will help support our services for older people in Wirral.

“Annie has worked with Age UK Wirral for a number of years through our link with Kirwans, and we wish her all the best with this massive challenge.”