TWO Oxfordshire men are preparing for the Herculean task of running 12 marathons in 13 days in a bid to raise £20,000 for charity.

Friends Edward Nieburg, from Steventon, and Ben Halliwell, from Wantage, will run across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire to help for Thomley Activity Centre, a recreational facility for disabled children in Worminghall, near Thame.

Their mammoth journey, of more than 300 miles, will start on August 17, when they will run 26 miles from the activity centre to Bicester.

From there they will run to Milton Keynes, completing the equivalent of a marathon each day until they run from Kidlington back to the centre to coincide with its open day on Saturday, August 29.

They have awarded themselves a day off on the seventh day of their challenge.

Mr Nieburg, 22, who works for South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Ben and I wanted a challenge. We thought if we could help people at the same time it would make it worthwhile.

“After visiting the centre, Ben and I agreed it was one to support.”

The duo will be accompanied for the final leg of their journey by retired cyclist Bryan Steel, who won two Olympic and four world championship medals.

Mr Steel, 40, became involved in the event after opening the cycle track at Thomley Activity Centre.

He suffers from dyslexia and is an ambassador for the Special Olympics.

The centre supports more than 1,200 children and their families and friends from 16 counties nationwide.

Centre director Claire Acworth said: “We support children with all kinds of disabilities. Thomley is very much about including disabled children in the community.”

Mr Halliwell, 24, said: “The facilities they have and the service they provide are amazing and they would benefit greatly from the money.”

The costs of running the centre are up to £200,000 annually and are gained through government grants, trusts, foundations and the local community.

The money raised from the run will be used to buy arts materials and help to fund workshops. And a cycling scheme is being set up with the help of Mr Steel to encourage children to cycle safely.

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