A marathon runner completed the marathon to say a big thank you the heroic firefighters who saved the lives of two of her family members.

Abbey Bryan, 27, from Thorburn Way in Colliers Wood has managed to raise £1,000.

In 2004 a firework from a neighbouring property sparked a fire in her family home in Belgrave Walk.

Abbey said “My sister and nephew were asleep in the house on the third floor and my sister bravely did all she could to keep herself and my three year old nephew safe and calm whilst the fire was climbing both the outside and inside of the house.

“The brave heroic firefighters battled the blaze in order to get them to safety, staying at the hospital all the through the night after.

“I am not sure what I could do to ever thank them enough. There’s nothing I could ever do to repay them and I can’t imagine what they see on a daily basis.

“I went to secure the house that night and it was so scary to imagine what these brave people run into.”

Abbey who had been training for the marathon since last September was suffering for a knee injury while running but wasn’t going to let it stop her from completing her mission.

Abbey said: “I managed to injure my knee in training which didn’t help and a St John Ambulance worker wanted me to stop around 15k but nothing and no one was going to stop me.

“This marathon was more challenging than any other thing I’ve ever done.

“Weather injured, ill or in need of psychological support The Fire Fighters Charity is there for our heroes and has been supporting families of the bereaved since the days of the blitz to modern day.”