The sister of a man who died of liver cancer aged 25, is to run the London Marathon in his memory.

James Fisher lost his battle against the disease in August 2000 after a diagnoses two years earlier.

According to his sister, Gill Capstick, doctors had told him it had been a childhood cancer which had lain dormant.

Gill is now gearing herself up for the big day on Sunday, April 25, when she will run to raise money for the Candlelighters charity.

“Due to the type of cancer, James was treated at St James’s Hospital, Leeds, on the children’s ward and teenage unit,” said Mrs Capstick, a mother-of-three from Cullingworth.

During the time he spent on the ward, she got an insight into the work done by Candlelighters.

Her brother was a former pupil of the former Parkside Middle School and Bingley Grammar School.

Mrs Capstick said: “As a family we miss James so much and to be able to give something back in his memory means an awful lot.

“I’m a member of Keighley and Craven Athletics Club. I’ve run a couple of half marathons before, but have never tackled a marathon.

“I’m 40 this year and I decided it was a good time to see if I was up to the challenge.

“James lived in Denholme, where I ran the village hairdressers for 13 years, and he was well-known and well-liked in the area. He played football for Oxenhope and made many good friends during his time there.

“He always had a smile for everyone, young and old, and worked at Merritt and Fryers, in Skipton.

“I would like to raise as much as possible in memory of James.”

Candlelighters is dedicated to combating childhood cancer, leukaemia and serious blood disorders and tries to make the lives of children and their families more bearable.