14340/1PLUCKY Mandy Rowley, who has one leg half an inch shorter than the other, is training for one of the greatest challenges of her life.

Miss Rowley, of Sheep Street, Devizes, is running the London Marathon next April.

She has never run a marathon before and what makes it more difficult for her is that she almost lost her left leg in a road accident and she is a diabetic.

But she is absolutely determined to finish the 26-mile race.

She said: "I don't care if I complete the marathon by running, walking or crawling. I am just determined to complete it."

Miss Rowley's accident happened six years ago when she was struck by a car while she was cycling near the Budgens car park in Devizes.

Miss Rowley, 29, broke her tibia and fibula bones and underwent two operations which resulted in her left leg being half an inch shorter than the right.

She wore an external fixator for three months and was in plaster for nine months.

She could not walk without crutches for a total of 18 months.

Miss Rowley, a civil servant with the Ministry of Defence based at Upavon, said: "My fractures were one of the worst that the doctors had seen and I was told afterwards that I was lucky not to have lost my leg."

What helped Miss Rowley to get better was her high level of fitness before the accident.

As well as jogging she undertook physical exercise in her role as an instructor with the Wiltshire Army Cadet Force.

She is the platoon commander for the Melksham detachment for the cadet force.

Since her accident Miss Rowley has not done any major running although she completed the 5km Race for Life in Swindon this year.

"If I slightly twist the leg or I stand on a stone then it can give me gip," she said.

Miss Rowley's mother, Cath Newman, also of Devizes, said her daughter went through agony learning to walk again and finally leaving the crutches behind.

Ms Newman said: "She screamed with pain when she tried to walk. She's got lot of stamina and guts.

"Everyone thought it was marvellous that she was able to get up three flights of stairs to her home. To get up the stairs she stood on one leg and jumped up.

"She has always been the same, if there's an object in front of her she will challenge to overcome it."

Miss Rowley has been diabetic since she was 13 and injects herself with insulin four times a day.

She is running the London Marathon for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, (JDRF) a charity which undertakes research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.

The charity has given Miss Rowley advice on training and running the marathon to ensure her sugar levels are high.

She said: "I have always wanted to run the London Marathon. Next year is the 25th race and I thought, if I don't run it then, then I never will.

"I have set myself a challenge and I will go out of my way to achieve it.

"I shall be thinking about my leg during the marathon but my constant concern will be diabetes and if my blood sugars are high.

Miss Rowley's brother, Michael, 33, who is based in Aldershot with the Army, is running the marathon with Miss Rowley, plus 11 of his colleagues who are raising money for the Royal British Legion.

Miss Rowley has to raise a minimum of £1,500 sponsorship for JDRF and is appealing for companies or individuals to sponsor her.

"If companies are not able to sponsor me directly they could donate items which I could raffle off and I will make sure that sponsors are mentioned or publicly thanked in some way," she said.

Anyone who wants to sponsor Miss Rowley can call her on 07767 454134.

Miss Rowley is a former pupil of St Peter's Primary School and Devizes School.