WHEN Michelle Maull opened the letter telling her she’d won a place on the London Marathon she couldn’t believe it.

“I had to ask my husband to read it to check,” said Michelle.

For the 35-year-old from Ferndale, who was fresh off running the Swindon Half Marathon in September, crossing the finish line next April will complete a childhood dream.

“I’ve always watched it,” said Michelle. “When I was a kid I use to get up and pretend to run along with them.”

The mum-of-two never expected to be picked for the draw – but now she’s looking forward to lacing up her new running trainers and taking on one of the world’s most famous races.

Michelle said: “I thought I’d never do the half marathon – and I did it. I just think, ‘why not?’ It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The sporty civil servant, who plays football for women’s club Swindon Spitfires, took part in her first half marathon last month with her brother Steve.

Crossing the finish line in two hours 46 minutes, Michelle was disappointed to miss her target time by 15 minutes. But she was proud to have completed the race.

“I sprinted the end, so I was happy,” she said.

In the process, Michelle helped raise hundreds for Brighter Futures’ £2.9m radiotherapy bid.

The cause is one close to home for Michelle and her family. “It all started last January,” she said. “My mum was ill with an infection of the kidneys.”

Mum Bev was forced into a gruelling cycle of chemotherapy treatment, travelling to Oxford for the life-saving drugs.

“We just want to get the treatment here in Swindon,” said Michelle.

“I know what my mum was like having to go to Oxford. It’s not a nice thing to go through.

She said of Brighter Futures: “We think they do a brilliant job.”

The whole family have been fundraising for the radiotherapy appeal. Mum Bev donated cash to the charity on her wedding anniversary and Steve and Michelle were sponsored to run the Swindon Half. In total, they’ve raised £630 – and counting.

Michelle now has six months to prepare herself for the London Marathon.

“I’ve done a little bit of training and I went to Old Town and got a special pair of running shoes,” she said.

Now, she’s looking for a running club to join and hoping to find other runners from Swindon taking on the marathon in April.

Calling herself a “tea-time runner”, Michelle finds that fitting training around her busy family life can be hard. She has two daughters, aged one and four, who aren’t always the best running partners.

Her oldest “can be quite bossy”, said Michelle. “She says, ‘You should be going for a run, mummy’.”

To donate to Brighter Futures, visit: www.brighterfuturesgwh.nhs.uk.