TWO Clevedon runners are urging businesses to give them their backing before they take on the London Marathon in memory of a close friend.

Robin Hambly, aged 34, and Chris Hillier, aged 32, will take on the 26-mile race on April 13 in aid of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) and are looking for businesses to sponsor their training tops to help raise as much money as they can.

The pair will take part in the race in memory of Nick Read, who was aged just 33 when he collapsed and died just metres away from the finish line of the Bristol Half Marathon in 2011.

Nick, who was a close friend and running partner of Robin, died from the undiagnosed heart condition, cardiomyopathy.

Since then, his friends and family have been working to raise awareness of the condition and also raise funds for CRY.

Robin said: “We’ve previously raised more than £6,000 for CRY as part of Team Run for Nick Read, which has included a group of 10 of us running the last two Bristol Half Marathons in memory of Nick.

“I feel privileged to be not only running for CRY to pay tribute to the hundreds of young people who lose their lives to sudden cardiac death in the UK every year, but for Nick as it is the ultimate goal for a runner to enter and complete London and something we had talked about eventually doing.”

According to CRY, which runs a cardiac screening programme and bereavement support service, each week 12 apparently fit and healthy young people aged 35 and under die from a previously undiagnosed heart condition.

* Any businesses hoping to support Robin and Chris will be asked to donate a minimum of £75 and in return will have their logos and web addresses printed on training tops which will be worn by the pair until the big day. For more details email runfornickread@gmail.com by December 5.

Anyone simply wishing to sponsor them can do so online at www.virginmoneygiving.com/CRYlondon2014