A COUPLE will celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary with another loved one on their minds.

Mhairi and Peter McTiernan are taking part in the Great North Run this weekend to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust which looked after their daughter after she was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 19.

Despite never having run a half marathon before, they are determined to finish the course to boost the funds of the charity’s unit at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle where Morag, now 21, is being treated.

Mr McTiernan, 57, of Linthorpe in Middlesbrough, said: “Most couples go out for dinner on their wedding anniversary, but we decided to run 13.1 miles instead. But we are so grateful to the work of the Teenage Cancer Trust and wanted to do the run to raise the money to support the unit.”

It is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and chances of survival for the seven young people aged 13 to 24 told they have the disease every day by funding and builds specialist units in NHS hospitals.

Although she is suffering from a painful tooth infection, Mrs McTiernan, 53, determined to put her best foot forward on Sunday. “I hope the infection doesn’t slow me down too much but no matter what speed I do it in, I will cross the finish line. I keep telling myself it’s not the competing but the completing,” she said.

To donate visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/PeterandMhairiMcTiernan