AN on-call firefighter from the Maldon district has signed up for the London Marathon with just two weeks left to train.

Jamie Corcoran, from Tollesbury, will run the London Marathon for charity on Sunday, October 3.

But while most runners train for months in preparation for the 26-mile run, Jamie signed up with just two weeks to go until race day.

Jamie said: "I actually like the fact that the marathon is a more extreme challenge, given there’s not long to train.

"I like to push myself. I’m probably one of few people who’d say this was a good case marathon scenario."

The 32-year-old is running the virtual London Marathon to raise money for Ella’s, an organisation working with women who have survived trafficking and exploitation.

As another runner was injured, the charity needed to find someone willing to take on the marathon at such short notice.

This is when Jamie was contacted to see if he’d be willing to step in.

"It’s brilliant to be running for Ella’s, I think it’s remarkable work," he continued.

"I love the fact that it’s giving people a chance to turn their lives around after going through so much."

Emily Chalke, co-director at Ella’s, says the team are extremely grateful to Jamie.

She said: "What an effort, to take on the huge challenge of the London Marathon at such short notice.

"Every pound raised by Jamie will go towards Ella’s’ work with women who’ve survived trafficking and exploitation, providing safe house accommodation and long-term community support.

"This work is crucial to enabling survivors to recover and stay safe, and we’re hugely grateful to Jamie for helping fund this work."

Jamie works as an on-call firefighter as well as a carpenter and builder.

To support Jamie's fundraiser go to justgiving.com/fundraising/James-Corcoran9.

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