ANDOVER friends Alex Iddles and Darren Cross are hoping to inspire people who have a Virgin London Marathon ballot place to run for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, after their best friend died from the disease last year.

The duo are running the 26.2-mile race on Sunday, 21 April, for Team CF, having lost their friend Alan to cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the UK’s most common life-threatening inherited diseases for which there is presently no cure.

Alex said: “Alan, Darren and I all grew up together in Barton Stacey and were best friends.

“Alan died of cystic fibrosis at just 27 years old awaiting a double lung transplant and leaving behind his wife, stepson, family and friends who all miss him dearly.

“It will be the anniversary of his death in April, when Darren and I will run the marathon in his memory.

“We hope that anyone in Andover who has been lucky enough to get a ballot place in next year’s marathon will consider using it for CF.

“The CF Trust is funding research to improve the number of organs available for transplant and help people like Alan.

“If we can inspire even one person to fundraise for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust we’ll be thrilled.”

Money raised by Virgin London Marathon runners will help fund research into treating and curing CF.

It will also help provide support, advice and clinical care to more than 9,300 babies, children and young adults living with CF.

You can sponsor Alex and Darren at uk.virginmoney giving.com/Breatheeasy.

If you have a place in the marathon and want to join Team CF, call 0300 373 1100 or email events@cftrust.org.uk.