TWO runners will join fellow athletes in the capital to raise money for a rural Teesdale charity.

Amanda Falshaw and Karen Taylor are running the London 10K, on Sunday, July 13, to raise money for the Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Service (UTASS), based at Middleton-in-Teesdale.

The pair are both from agricultural backgrounds and are keen runners.

Ms Taylor is a member of an amateur running club in Barnard Castle and Ms Falshaw recently completed her first marathon.

They wanted to raise money to support a locally-based charity that supported the rural communities in which they live.

Ms Falshaw said: “We have spoken to people within the farming community that have found the support provided by UTASS invaluable and practically beneficial.

“Having come from agricultural backgrounds, we both appreciate how difficult and challenging managing an agricultural livelihood can be.

“Having a locally based specialist support service can mean so much for people who have no other means of support.”

Diane Spark, project manager at UTASS, added: “We have been very fortunate in having people raise money for us in the past, but this is the first time that anyone has gone as far as London to run.”

To support the runners, visit justgiving.com/Karen-Taylor32.