TWO people with severe disabilities took part in the York 10K to help others in a similar situation around the world.

MENCAP service users Danny Tozer, 35, and Sharon Cook, 62, finished the race with their support workers Barry Deane and Liam Parker in just over 70 minutes.

They were taking part in the event on Sunday to raise money for York-based development charity, International Service, which supports some of world’s the most marginalised people to take control of their lives.

Its work includes supporting people with a disability in West Africa, South America and the Occupied Palestinian Territories to access education, participate in their community and reduce the discrimination they often face.

The struggle and stigma faced by people with disabilities in Ghana has recently been powerfully demonstrated in in BBC3’s ‘The World’s Worst Place to Be Disabled?’

Danny’s mum, Rosie said that throughout his life, people had often assumed that Danny could not do things and had often not given him a chance to try.

“But we know that he enjoys running, it helps him feel good and he likes to be part of the crowd," she said.

"Over the last two years, he's been part of the disability athletics group at York Athletics club and he and Barry and others completed the 10K last year for International Service.

“If we could explain to Danny what this is all for, we're sure he'd want others to have the same chance he's had to take part in sports."

Jo Baker, chief executive of International Service, said she was proud of the work it did and that Danny and Sharon had raced for it.

“It’s incredible that people living with a disability here in York are racing to support those in a similar situation overseas," she added.

International Service is a partner in the UK Government’s International Citizen Service, a fully funded programme which sees 18-25 year olds volunteering and living for 12 weeks in some of the world’s most deprived communities.

It also needs volunteers to support its work from the York office. For more information, go to www.internationalservice.org.uk