TEENAGER Poppy Gibson is taking on the Great South Run in memory of her dad, who died in Iraq when she was just seven years old.

The 16-year-old’s father, flight sergeant Mark Gibson, was on board an RAF Hercules shot down by suspected Sunni insurgents in Iraq in January, 2005.

Nearly a decade on, the youngster, of Old Shaw Lane, is taking on the 10-mile Portsmouth race next Sunday to raise money for the Forces Children’s Trust – the charity that supported her and her mum after her dad’s death.

She said: “I was only seven at the time so I didn’t really understand that much. I just knew mum was very upset.

“Because I was so young I didn’t really have the chance to spend much time with him to be able to say that I had some memories of him.

“Being in the RAF meant that he had to go away a lot anyway, and he did used to miss birthdays, Christmasses – other crucial family occasions like that.

“I know that he came here when my aunt ran it [the Great South] once before, and I think he would be really proud of what I’m doing.

“I am a bit nervous about it. I wanted to do it because I don’t really do a lot of long distance running and I thought it would be a bit of a challenge.”

Shortly after Mark’s death the Forces Children’s Trust and its founder, Denny Wise, began working with Poppy, who now attends Dauntsey’s School.

She said: “The Forces Children’s Trust offers support to families and children whose parent has died or sustained life-threatening injuries in the forces. They put on lots of activities and you meet other children who have been through the same thing. I’ve made a lot of friends though them and even though they live miles away we’re always very close, because they understand what you’re going through.

“Denny has become a bit of a father figure to me and I just wanted to do something to raise money and give back to the Forces Children’s Trust.

“He recognises how hard it can be to deal with the devastating aftermath of losing a parent and does his very best to put that smile back on our faces. He just makes us feel really special.”

Poppy’s mum, Sheila Griffiths-Gibson, said that Mark would have been proud of what his daughter is doing in his memory.

She said: “I am so proud of her, I really am. She does still keep her emotions in check around me and tries not to say anything that might upset me, which is just amazing.

“She doesn’t have to but she does because she knows how hard it was when Mark died.

“He would be so proud of her. He was anyway, even though she was only small, and I think he would be very touched by what she is doing in his memory.”

Poppy will be running with her cousin Emily, aunts Nick and Nell, and uncle Robin.

To show support for Poppy, sponsor her through her Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/Poppy-Gibson.

For more about the Forces Children’s Trust visit www.forceschildrenstrust.org