HEADTEACHER Barry Hickey will be watching from the sidelines as three members of the local running club he set up take part in the London Marathon on April 13.

It is the first time for many years that marathon veteran Mr Hickey, who is head of St Joseph's RC Primary School in Devizes, will not be pounding the streets of the capital.

Bruce Jones, one of Hickey's Harriers who did manage to get a place, said: "For the first time ever, Barry didn't get selected for a place. I think he felt he was entitled after all these years but it was not to be.

"He did toy with applying for a Golden Bond place with a charity but the prospect of raising £1,500 in sponsorship when he's getting the school ready for an Ofsted inspection was just too much."

Mr Jones will be running but has decided to "give his friends and relations a rest" and will not be collecting sponsorship for charity.

Two other Harriers will be raising money for charity, though. Roy Perrett, a supervisor at the police control room in Devizes, is again raising money for Elizabeth Lodge, the home for adults with learning disabilities where his 35-year-old brother Craig is a resident.

Last year he raised more than £5,000 to buy a van, which has since been christened Bluebell, to enable the residents to get out and about.

This year the money he raises will pay for the residents to go out on trips aboard Bluebell.

Mr Perrett, who can be contacted on (01380) 828695, has been training with Brendan Baker.

Mr Baker, who lives in Devizes, is a senior staff nurse at Savernake Hospital, near Marlborough and is running for the Alzheimer's Society because several of the patients he works with suffer from dementia.

To sponsor him, send cheques to him care of Oak Ward, Savernake Hospital, Marlborough SN8 3HL or visit his website www.justgiving.com/brendan

Mr Hickey said he was very pleased with the way the three men had knuckled down to training. He said: "A lot of that is down to Bruce Jones who galvanises a lot of people. If you don't turn up to training he sends you e-mails and asks you why you weren't there. It is a lot easier just to turn up.

"It is excellent the way they are committed to raising money for charity. I'm sure they will all get round in good times on April 13."

Thirty Hickey's Harriers took part in the recent Bath half marathon and all completed the course.