Three runners are preparing to race in the Asics Greater Manchester Marathon in aid of The Children’s Centre.

Amy Killip from Crosby, aged 39, Kevin Perks, from Glen Mona, aged 45, and Ian Dunbar, from Port Erin, aged 50, will be running the marathon in Manchester on Sunday, April 7.

Although the three lead active, healthy lifestyles and get regular exercise, Amy and Kevin are new to long-distance running and it will be their first marathon.

It will be Ian’s second marathon.

He hopes to improve on the time he achieved at the Dublin Marathon in October 2018.

When asked what motivated him to enter the marathon, Kevin Perks, who is human resources manager of Plan.com, said: ’It was a Christmas present from my wife.

’I’d been saying I wanted to do a marathon so she bought me the package from The Children’s Centre and gave me about 14 weeks to get in shape.’

Mr Perks is training three times a week for the event and he hopes to complete the 26.2-mile course in under four hours.

Lisa Motley, endurance event fundraiser at The Children’s Centre, said: ’We are delighted that this intrepid trio are running Asics Greater Manchester Marathon for The Children’s Centre and are looking forward to being there to support them and cheer them over the finish line.

’We’re so grateful for Amy, Kevin and Ian’s support - it’s great to see people committed to raising money for a local Manx charity who supports children, young people and families across the Isle of Man.

’We’d also like to say a huge thank you to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for its continued support of this event.’

Organisers describe the course as a flat, friendly and fast-paced track through Greater Manchester.

The Children’s Centre aims to make the island ’a safe and progressive community’ and says its services ’create close working partnerships and meet the needs of the young people’ it helps to look after.