A 29-year-old woman from Wanstead will run her first ever marathon on Sunday with the words of her late younger sister to inspire her.

Sarah Nickle, of Cowley Road, lost her sister Tara last year when she died of meningococcal septicaemia, aged 25.

Sarah will join thousands taking part in the London Marathon and has already raised nearly �5,000 for the Meningitis Research Foundation to help fund further research.

She said: “Tara taught me many things, especially to ‘go for it’ in life, so despite never having run seriously before, I’m doing this for her and to raise desperately needed funds for a very worthwhile cause. “I know she will be with me every step of the way.”

Fun-loving Tara, who studied in Leicester and Miami, had returned from post-university travels to their home city of Belfast and had started teaching children with special needs.

She moved into her first flat the day before she was taken ill and Sarah and her brother flew to be with Tara before she died.

Chris Head, the charity’s chief executive, said: “We are extremely grateful to Sarah for taking on the challenge as we rely on voluntary donations to fund our vital work.”

To support Sarah go to www.justgiving.com/Sarah-Nickle-Murphy-2012.