GAZETTE & HERALD: Father and son duo, Richard and Tim Dutton, from Chippenham, are training hard for the Flora London Marathon, to raise money in memory of their daughter and sister, Kate, who tragically died from meningitis and septicaemia at just 15.

Since Kate's death in 2002, the family have been working hard to generate money for Bristol based charity, the Meningitis Research Foundation.

Both father and son are confident they will complete the course in a good time, and typical father-son rivalry will see them competing to see who finishes first.

Mr Dutton said: "Tim has run the marathon before and is confidant he'll finish before me, but I have stuck to my training programme and we will just have to see who's first on the day.

"We chose to run for Meningitis Research Foundation because we wanted to help raise funds for this very important charity which continues to provide us with ongoing support."

Kate, a pupil at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham, who lived with her family at Draycott Cerne, died suddenly in October 2002.

This will be the second London Marathon run by Tim Dutton, 20, a student at Loughborough University but Mr Dutton senior, 46, is putting in plenty of miles to make sure he is in good shape on the big day, April 18.

"I'm running twice a week between three and six miles, then I have a long run on Sunday, anything between nine and 13 miles," he said.

The duo are hoping to raise £5000 for the foundation and Mr Dutton said money had already been pledged towards the target.

Just 18 months on from Kate's death, her loss looms large for the Dutton family.

"We just go from day to day," said Mr Dutton.

"At least we feel we are doing something positive, though it does also have the effect of bringing it all back."

The foundation works to save lives by funding scientific research and raising awareness of the diseases.

It also aims to improve people's lives by offering support to those affected by meningitis and septicaemia.

Gazette readers who would like to sponsor Richard and Tim Dutton, and pledge a donation in Kate's memory, can use the website www.justgiving.com/duttons.

For information on making donations or taking part in the London Marathon in aid of the Foundation, contact the Meningitis Research Foundation on (01454) 281811.