THE plight of a York woman's friend is spurring her on to run the London Marathon for the first time - and hopefully raise hundreds of pounds.

Linda Halley, 42, of Grantham Drive, in Holgate, will be running the marathon next month to raise money to fight Parkinson's disease, something a close friend suffers from.

Linda got into running last year when she entered the 13-mile Great North Run for charity. She said: "I've never really been into running before, especially not such long distances!

"But I've got the bug now and I train five nights a week. The longest run I'm doing at the moment is on a Sunday when I do 18 miles in about two-and-a-half hours.

"I've never run 26 miles before, so the London Marathon is going to be quite a challenge."

Linda, who owns Pines restaurant in Nunnery Lane with her husband, has already raised £400 and is hoping to meet her £1,000 target before she sets off on Sunday, April 22. She is raising the money to fight Parkinson's disease because it is something very close to her heart.

She said: "A close friend of mine suffers from the disease, so that will spur me on to complete the 26 miles."

Also on hand to spur her on her way will be her husband and three children who are travelling down to London for the occasion.

Updated: 17:03 Tuesday, March 27, 2001