A FISHMONGER from Lytham is getting ready to take his plaice in the Flora London Marathon this weekend.

Graham Lanigan, owner of Lanigans fish shop on Clifton Street, will pound out the gruelling 26-mile course on Sunday and has already raised a massive £6,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Graham had been sparked into action by the deaths of his father and brother from cancer. He said: "I have lost both my uncle and brother to cancer in the last eight years. I wanted to do something positive so I decided to raise the money in memory of them and put it to cancer research in the hope that better cures and treatments can be found."

Hundreds of customers have pledged support to Graham who has taken over his father's business in Lytham, selling fish, game and poultry.

He added: "My father and uncle set up the local family business which I now continue and I am very grateful to many of our customers who remember my dad and have helped me raise £6,000."

Graham will be lining up alongside 30,000 other runners as part of the biggest charity team ever to run the world's greatest marathon. He has been in serious training since October and told The Citizen: "I am very excited and very nervous. I have never done a full marathon before but I am as prepared as I will ever be and confident I will finish."

The Cancer Research UK team is hoping to raise £800,000. Professor Gordon McVie, joint director at Cancer Research UK, said: "It is great to have Graham on our marathon team." If you would like to sponsor Graham he can be contacted on (01253) 736203.