RUNNER Neil Defty will test himself in his first marathon on the streets of New York.

The 25-year-old, of Crossgate Moor, Durham, will fly to the Big Apple with his wife, Claire, on Wednesday and will join thousands of runners in the event on Sunday next week.

Mr Defty, a research project team leader at Durham University, has run half-marathons before - he did the Great North Run in just over an hour and a half - but has not gone the full distance.

He is doing the New York Marathon despite suffering an injury.

"I applied on a whim and to my surprise I got in," he said. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I think it is worth it.

"I decided to run for Marie Curie Cancer Care because the partner of a friend of mine died earlier this year. She had care from Marie Curie and it seemed a very worthwhile cause.''

Mr Defty said that he was hoping to raise several hundred pounds for the charity.

Linda McDonagh, of Marie Curie Cancer Care, said: "What Neil is doing is fantastic. He has been training very well. We are pleased that we have a representative from the North-East running for the charity in the marathon.