RUNNERS are aiming to raise thousands of pounds for their chosen charities as they take to the streets of Oxford tomorrow.

Whether it’s to fund research into diseases that have affected loved ones or pay back organisations that have supported them in their hour of need, tomorrow’s run marks the culmination of months worth of work for hundreds of dedicated supporters.

Claire Broome, 37, is running for her father John Barr who died from a rare form of eye cancer earlier this year.

An Oxford resident for almost 50 years, Mr Barr was 68 and himself a keen runner, having completed 19 marathons.

He was diagnosed with ocular melanoma in 2013 and had to have his right eye removed and undergo several types of treatment but the cancer spread to his liver and other parts of his body.

Ms Broome wants to raise £500 for OcuMel UK - the only charity in the UK dedicated to supporting people with the condition.

Not content with completing just one challenge this weekend, Simon Hoskins is planning to run the half marathon the day after taking part in the gruelling 20k Spartan Beast obstacle course.

It’s part of a year of challenges for the Carterton-based family to raise thousands for charity Yellow Submarine which has helped Mr Hoskins’ son Kyle, who has autism.

Sobell House is one of the local charity partners for the race and is fielding 165 people, aiming to raise a total of £25,000.

Tim Wraith, corporate partnerships manager, said: "So many people doing it for so many different reasons. We have a good number who are running in memory of brothers, sisters and parents.

"Some of our runners have only recently been bereaved but are determined to do something positive in memory of their loved ones."

One Sobell runner, Neil Pinnell, is treating the run as a warm up to a 100 mile race later this year, also being done in aid of the hospice.

He said: “It’s my second time running Oxford and I am looking for a new PB of under 1hr 25mins which will be tough but not as tough as what people go through every day living with the effects of a terminal illness.”

Another charity partner is SSNAP, based at the John Radcliffe, which supported new parents Kasia and Jason Relton, 32, both from Banbury.

Their twin boys were born with with very rare conditions and had to spend five weeks in hospital.

The couple promised to run the 13.1mile event when they got better as a way of thanking the team.

Runners are also taking part to support a couple's dream of opening a disability day centre.

Rachael and Ian Scott-Hunter want to create the £2.5million centre - to be known as The Alexandra House of Joy - following various cuts to the sector over recent years.

Catherine Collins, who is running to raise funds for the project, said: “I am running for this amazing charity as I firmly believe that adults with severe and profound disabilities deserve to have a place that they can go and have the care and support they need in a safe and inclusive environment.”