THE memory of his sister who died of cancer, will be spurring on a man from North Devon in this year's London Marathon on April 25.

Oliver Brown from North Molton, is running for North Devon Hospice in honour of his sister Joanne, who died from cervical cancer in 2007 and spent her final days being cared for in the hospice.

Oliver, 21, and his older brother Matthew, 33, both wanted to run in the marathon for their sister.

There was only one place available and they decided it should go to the younger brother, Oliver who plays for South Molton Rugby Club.

Now Oliver is hoping to raise £2,000 for the North Devon charity.

Their mum Lyn Pickard said: "I am so proud of him. It is just wonderful someone so young is doing this."

Lyn's husband Franklin also died from cancer in 1993 and received care in North Devon Hospice.

The family has been very close knit ever since and Lyn is proud of her son Matthew who took over his dad's farm at just 16-years of age.

Joanne, who was a farm secretary for agricultural company Crop Mech and lived in Merton with her partner Charlie Westcott , fought the illness for two years.

Paying tribute to her daughter Lyn said: "She was loving and supportive.

"Joanne had an old head on young shoulders. She was very ambitious and very determined right up until she died, that she would not let it get in her way.

"I would say 'why' and she would reply 'why not me.' That was her attitude, always positive."

Oliver added: "She was just everything you could want from a sister.

" It was a loss for everyone who didn't get to meet her."

The family say it is indebted to North Devon Hospice. Lyn said: "They were absolutely fantastic — our Guardian Angels."

Oliver said: "They were excellent. Nothing was ever too much trouble. Even if it was just something like a tea in the night."

Oliver is holding a quiz night in the Sportsman's Inn tomorrow evening to raise money and is also planning to hold a skittles evening in March.

Sponsorship forms for Oliver are available in Shapland and Searle butchers where he works, the Town Arms Hotel next door and the South Molton Rugby Club.