DAWN Richardson is heading for New York in a bid to raise money for charity.

The Quakers athlete is hoping to raise funds for the James Cook University Hospital Urology Department by running in the New York Marathon on Sunday November 3.

Any money raised will be going towards funding a cancer nurse at the hospital promoting prostate cancer awareness.

One of Dawn's family has recently had a prostatectomy done by Mr Chadwick at the James Cook University hospital, and it's her way of saying thank you.

She said: "I have fully funded the trip myself and it's also one of my life ambitions. I ran the London Marathon in 1997 for cancer research, but this time wanted money to go somewhere more direct and local.

"I ran the Great North Run last Sunday as an Elite Athlete for the first time and finished in a time of 1 hr 24 mins. I also got an Elite entry into the London Marathon next April."Dawn has been running for the Quakers since 1998. She is a keen fell runner and has competed in the Saunders Mountain Marathon and also Karrimor Mountain Marathon.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, 29 September Colin Morris ran the first ever Loch Ness Marathon. Over an exceptionally hilly course, Colin finished 192nd out of 900 runners in a time of 3:48:48.

Diane Vaughan also tackled another hilly course on Sunday, 22 September. She ran Kirkstall Abbey 10K in a time of 52:06.

The final Deadly Durham Fell Race sponsored by Terry Deary will be held on Sunday, 3 November 2002. Ayhope Skyline covers 13 miles over 2155 feet. Register on the day at Grove Car Park, Hamsterley Forest. Car parking free. Start time 11.00am. Includes 2 mile junior fell race commencing 11:15am.