A 22-year-old nurse is running two marathons for an organ donation charity - inspired by her Harpenden cousin's life-changing liver transplant.

Georgia Wilding, originally from Harpenden, said her cousin Jamie was born with a rare enzyme disorder which meant his cholesterol was dangerously high and causing his arteries to become blocked, damaging his heart.

Jamie, 25, who grew up in Wheathampstead, received two liver transplants as a child in a bid to slow the damage and enable his body to process cholesterol.

Georgia, who is now a staff nurse at the Freeman Hospital's Institute of Transplantation in Newcastle, said: "Jamie was incredibly fortunate that a donor family chose to consent to donate their relatives organs saving him at age eleven with a liver transplant.

"This transplant failed around a year later, but again another family’s generosity allowed Jamie to receive another transplant.

"Jamie is now 25 years old and doing well, living a life which he wouldn’t have been able to do had he not received his transplants."

Georgia, a former St Peters, Sauncey Wood and Sir John Lawes pupil, became an advocate for charity Live Life Give Life, which is run by volunteers who have been affected by transplants or organ donation.

Live Life Give Life aims to promote organ donation by increasing awareness and improving education via campaigns, events and activities. They also aim to increase the number of successful transplants by funding research projects.

Georgia said she used to watch the London Marathon from the side lines as a first aider with St John Ambulance.

She continued: "This year to raise money for Live Life Give Life and awareness for organ donation I am running the London Marathon and the Edinburgh Marathon.

"I have never run the 26.2-mile distance before and the training has been gruelling, certainly no easy ride.

"I am, however, excited for the opportunity, especially for the London Marathon as it’s something I used to watch as a first aider for St John Ambulance - as recently as 2011 I watched the event thinking ‘I wish I could run.’ "Following the events I am also holding a fundraiser at Sauncey Wood Primary School, Pickford Hill in Harpenden, on Saturday, June 6, to raise more money for Live Life Give Life."

Georgia added the most important part of organ donation is telling your loved ones what your wishes are.