TWO brothers will be spurring each other on during a half marathon to raise money for Diabetes UK.

Dan Morgan and his brother, Jamie, will be running the Colchester Half Marathon on March 29.

Jamie has had diabetes since he was six-years-old and the brothers wanted to raise money for vital research and support.

This is the first time the brothers have run a half marathon and fundraised for a charity.

Dan, 23, from Old Heath in Colchester, said: “My brother has been Type 1 diabetic since he was six and he’s now 18.

“He goes through a really tough time but he deals with it fantastically well.

“He has to take at least five injections of insulin a day and test his blood sugar anywhere between five and ten times per day.

“He has to monitor what he can and can’t eat and suffers from low and high blood sugars regularly which makes him feel really ill.

“It always affects his life and there’s never a day off.

“Whenever he leaves the house he has to remember his blood kit, insulin and food in case he goes low.”

The brothers are taking part in parkruns every Saturday, which sparked their enthusiasm for running.

Dan said: “We have a decent level of fitness already but now we are going to start a 12 week training programme for the half marathon.

“We are hoping to raise £100 between the two of us to donate to Diabetes UK - a charity that means a lot to our family.”

More than 3,500 runners will be taking to the streets again for the tenth Colchester Half Marathon.

Organisers hope to raise more than £60,000 for charity.

Amongst those involved are the chosen charity partners for the year.

Colchester-based brain injury charity Headway Essex will receive 75 per cent of the proceeds and the Robin Cancer Trust will receive 25 per cent.

The race will start and finish at the Jobserve Community Stadium and the headline sponsor is Griffin Chapman Chartered Accountants.

To donate visit www.gofundme.com/f/mhhx68-colchester-half-marathon.