Two mothers from St Albans have set themselves the challenge of running this year’s London Marathon to raise money for Children with Cancer.

After becoming friends, while doing the school runs together at Park Street School, Sally Lock and Helena Nash have dedicated their time to training for the 26-mile run on April 13.

Sally’s eight-year-old son, Sebastian Ferdinand, and Helena’s eight-year-old daughter, Bonnie, are in the same class at school and the pair were keen to raise money for a charity that supports children.

It is the first time Helena will run a marathon and after being unsuccessful in the ballot she continued running with Sally, who was convinced she would get a space somehow.

With 11 weeks to go, Helena was told she could run for Children with Cancer and has now thrown herself in to training in the wet and wind.

The 37-year-old, who is a midwife at Watford General Hospital, said: "We wanted to raise money for a wonderful charity, which we feel passionate about.

"It is nice running together because we push eachother along. We have discovered there are more hills in St Albans than we ever realised.

"I am really excited about it, but really nervous at the same time. This is going to be a challenge but I see it as a once in a lifetime opportunity - I will never get to do it again.

"It is not about the time, it is just about getting round and pushing myself. Being a midwife for 15 years I see woman go through birth every day, so I think to myself 'I can do this.’ "

No stranger to running, Sally pounded the streets of London to complete the run in 4 hours 45 minutes, last year.

The 41-year-old of Puddingstone Drive said: "You finish the race and think I am never doing that again, but within 24 hours my competitive streak had got the better of me and I was planning my next marathon and how I was going to do it faster.

"This year, I would like to do it in four hours 30 minutes. I ran for two charities last year including Children with Cancer and Breast Cancer UK, so I am delighted to be running for such a good cause again.

"It’s brilliant that me and Helena have got the chance to run it together. "

To reach their £3,000 fundraising target, the pair have organised fundraising events including a charity gig to take place at the Old Verulamium Rugby Club, in North Orbital Road, on March 28 at 8pm. The concert will include performances from St Albans based band The Thing Is.

They have also organised a charity street dance event for children, which will take place at How Wood scout hut on March 8 at 3pm.

To find out more about the gig and street dance event email sallylock@virginmedia.com or hels_t@yahoo.co.uk. To sponsor Sally and Helen visit www.justgiving.com/SalandHels