Partially sighted Claire takes on London Marathon

Claire Miller-Mulholland, aged 35, from Wombourne, will be running this year's London Marathon completely unguided.

Although Claire normally has help from her guide dog, George, she will be taking part on April 26 alone, relying on experience and her steely determination to help her round the course.

She suffers from Stargardt's disease, a condition which one in over 10,000 people are born with, where their eye sight progressively deteriorates from an early age.

At the moment, Claire says her sight is 'as bad is it can be without going completely' but she is confident of rising to the challenge on April 26.

She said: "I just want to do it without stopping, that is my aim, a clean run. I can see about a metre in front of me but everything else is a blur so potholes, obstacles, and other people can trip me up very easily.

"I train near my home where I am very familiar with the route. I know every bump in the ground and every overhanging branch, so it is easier. With something as long as the London Marathon it is impossible to memorise the route, so to some extent I am trusting to luck and my own experience.

"I feel I am over the most difficult part of my training now and after a rocky couple of weeks, I am growing in confidence."

Claire, who began running as a teenager, will be cheered on by husband Rob, her mother and father, and her children Mia, 15, Ella-May, 12 and Caylan, three. She will be running in memory of her grandmother, Betty Busby, who she regarded as a 'second mother'. Betty died of bowel cancer when Claire was only 14, so she is looking to raise at least £2,000 in her memory for Cancer Research UK.

Claire said: "I saw my Nan every day. It just destroyed me when she died. Running was the one thing that helped me." A turning point for Claire was when she and her husband took part in the Great North Run in 2013.

She said: "I was just sick of watching other people run and wanted to take part. I put it to my husband that this was something I felt strongly about and that I really felt I needed to get back out there. He said he would support me and also come with me, which I held him to. I have had a lot of support from friends and family for this and I want to make them all proud." You can sponsor Claire's London Marathon journey by visiting http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Claire-Miller-Mulholland

She will also be hosting a coffee morning in aid of Cancer Research between 10am and 12.30pm on March 7 at Allen Memorial Hall, Wombourne.

l Watch video of Claire in action at expressandstar.com