A FORMER Salvation Army foster child, from Calne, is running the London Marathon to raise vital funds for the charity.

Grandmother Jayne Gaffney, 57, of Northfields, was adopted in 1959 by Douglas and Francis Ward from a Salvation Army home in Exeter.

Mrs Gaffney said: “It is quite nerve racking but I think that when you are in the crowd on the day you will enjoy it and the atmosphere.

“I am full steam ahead with training. This race is as much for the Salvation Army as it is for the memory of my parents.

“My adoptive father was a captain in the Salvation Army and if he was still alive would have celebrated his 100th birthday on February 29 this year.”

The mother of four daughters is also holding a charity spinathon at the Calne Leisure Centre on Sunday, April 17 at 4pm where she will be accepting donations for a free spinning class lesson.

Mrs Gaffney added: “It is not very easy at my age to do a marathon. I have been toying with the idea for many years.

“This is my first and probably my last I imagine but never say never. I have done the moon walk in London in 2013, where you walk 26 miles in the night, which took me about eight hours."

To sponsor Mrs Gaffney go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving/JayneGaffney.