More than 350 Gwent people will take part in tomorrow's London Marathon to raise money for a variety of charities and good causes. OWEN WALKER reports.

NEWPORT residents Little Miss Naughty, Little Miss Giggles and Mr Happy will be competing in this Sunday's London Marathon.

The workers at the Exemplar Group in Newport - real names, Lisa Davies, Kathryn, Mitchell and Bhanu Gorthy - are part of a team who decided to run the race at a motivational day last year.

Apart from team leader Alan Thomas, none of the memebers of Team Tickling Sticks have run serious distances before.

The 26 miles they are expected to cover this Sunday will be their longest yet.

Marketing manage Kate Williams, 31, said: "We are all complete novices.

"It's all quite scary really. The longest distace we have covered is 20 miles, which is as far as people advise.

"That was over quite hilly land so I hope it will be easier in London."

The team have so far raised more than £12,000 for the charity Children with Leukaemia, but hope to reach £15,000.

Ms Williams added: "We are on course to get the full amount. We have had pub quizzes and harrassed friends and family for sponsorship."

They have also organised a fund-raising gig at the Irish Club, in Commercial Road, Newport, on May 11.

They have a website where they have received good luck messages from people like Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Dame Kelly Holmes and Sir Steve Redgrave.

The team have been training since September and have often battled freezing and rainy conditions.

But this Sunday they are likely to come against a new challenge - sweltering heat.

Ms Williams - who will be appropriately dressed as Little Miss Sunshine - said: "We are hoping for snow."

You can check their process at www.ticklingsticks.com.

Runner in a tutu
DESPITE admitting not having the legs for it, 32-year-old Kevin Hall is running the 26-mile course in a bright yellow Tutu.

"I'm fitter now than when I was 18, although that isn't saying much."

Kevin, who lives in Oakdale, has been training since last August.

He added: "I chose the Roy Castle Foundation because cancer affects a lot of people.

"My father died from cancer three years ago and pretty much everybody knows someone affected by it."

Slim Dad
Slim Rob Pennington, 29, who used to weigh 19 stone, has shed six stone in two years.

The Cwmbran dad of two-year-old Iolo decided to kick his lifestyle of takeaways in front of the TV and 20 cigarettes a day after his son was born.

Rob is raising money for Asthma UK, as both his mother and sister are sufferers.

Running to save school
Brookfield primary school parent governor Paul Underwood is running to help raise money for the school which is thereatened with closure.

So far Save Brookfield School action group has raised £15,000 towards its campaign.

First Marathon
Usk businessman Gareth Jones and his wife, local surgery nurse Dee, are gearing up too.

Dee is raising funds for Heart UK, while Gareth is running for the National Blind Children's Society.

Gareth said: "Dee and I have never so much as run for a bus before.

"The physical challenge to complete a marathon is, for me, monumental, but this pales into insignificance compared to the everyday challenges that blind children endure."

In son's memory
Michelle Murphy, 24, of Chepstow, whose son died of cot death two years ago, will take part in her second marathon this weekend to help prevent other parents going through a similar tragedy.

Last year Michelle raised £1,800 and she hopes to do better this year.

"I don't want anyone to go through what we did," she said.

"Liam was only with us for six weeks but he had a wonderful smile and was so cheeky."

Free massage to fastest runner
A sports injury specialist, who has helped people training for the marathon get into shape in return for donations, is giving the money to a charity chosen by the person who then completes the race in the quickest time.

Jane Ludham, of Thompson Avenue, Newport, said:"I thought that offering services for donations was a nice way of raising money for charity."

Tribute to friend
Marc Hathaway, 39, will be running this Sunday's marathon for friend Keith Bingham, who died aged 60 of a type of lung cancer just 17 days after it was detected.

Keith's daughter, Sarah Goode, 37, from Penyrheol, said: "We want something good to come out of something so sad - we don't want to feel he died for nothing."

Thankyou to hospice
It's a first full marathon for Anthony Worman, 31, who went to Bassaleg school and is raising money for St Anne's Hospice.

He said: "I had a friend whose mother had cancer and spent her last days there. They looked after her really well and I thought I wanted to do something for them."

Mr Worman, who now lives in London, said he is planning to return to Newport in the new year. He added: "This Sunday all my family are coming over from Wales to cheer me on. I'm really looking forward to it."