TWO brothers are running a marathon in memory of their best friend, who died of leukaemia.

Mark and Paul Heasman have set their sights on the London Marathon in memory of pal Jamie Griggs who was diagnosed with the disease in 2009.

He passed away in 2010.

When Jamie died, he left a note asking his friends and family to support the Anthony Nolan trust.

At that point, the brothers pledged to support the blood cancer charity.

Having taken on the Great North Run for three years in a row together, and ran the St Alban’s half marathon in 2013, Mark and Paul, from Rayleigh, are training up for the big one.

Mark, 25, said: “Five years ago one of my closest friends, Jamie, was diagnosed with leukaemia. At the time we were students and were out partying every night – we felt invincible.

“Although Anthony Nolan found a bone marrow donor for Jamie, he passed away in 2010 just after his 23rd birthday.

“Jamie left behind a letter asking his friends and family to continue to support Anthony Nolan after his death, to help give other people the chance to live.”

Mark, who works at Zurich, said: “If Jamie was here today and knew I was taking on a marathon, he’d have a bloody good laugh. Especially if he heard I was planning on giving up alcohol in the months running up to it!

“Jamie was an incredible person – even when he wrote that letter, he was thinking of other people.

“I’m aiming for under four-and-ahalf hours. My company’s chief executive ran it last year in just over fourand- a-half so, in the spirit of friendly competition, I want to beat him.”

Anthony Nolan is the official charity of this year’s London Marathon.

By reaching a target of £1million, Anthony Nolan runners will make it possible for the charity to add 10,000 potential bone marrow donors to the register. Any one of them could save the life of someone with blood cancer.

To sponsor Mark and Paul go to virginmoneygiving.com/team/markan dpaul