After both their husbands suffered heart attacks a mother and daughter-in-law have decided to take the ultimate cardiac test.

Claire Felven, of Meadow Street, Aberkenfig and Rita Collins of Heol yr Orsaf, Kenfig Hill, will run the London Marathon in aid of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).

The pair hope to raise £2,000 for the charity by completing the 26-mile course on April 13.

They are currently in intensive training for what will be Mrs Felven’s inaugural marathon.

“My husband had a cardiac arrest two years ago,” said Mrs Felven.

“He was in training for the London Marathon at the time – he was lucky.”

The 26-year old orthopaedic nurse admits to being nervous at the thought of running for over five hours.

“I’ve been to London a few times to see the runners come in but this is the first time I’ll have actually run in it, the furthest I’ve run before is 10 miles.”

CRY aims to raise awareness of Cardiac Risk in the Young and offers counselling and support to those who have suffered loss.

The charity, founded in 1995, also donates medical equipment to doctors, surgeries and hospitals and funds the CRY Centre for Sports Cardiology at the British Olympic Medical Centre.

Mrs Collins’ husband had a heart attack in September.

She said: “My husband didn’t have the usual symptoms of pain down the arm but it doesn’t always happen that way.

“And when my son suffered as well – It was a shock.  You expect older people to have heart attacks but people of all ages can suffer cardiac problems and we just want to raise awareness of that.”

It will be the 50-year old grandmother’s third London Marathon.

“It’s an absolutely fantastic feeling when you finish,” she said.

“The last one I did was in 1997 and I finished in five hours.  It’s such a buzz – people are cheering you on and bands are playing.

“The last time I did it I was running on cobblestones and my toe nails came off – but I carried on.  As long as you wear the proper trainers there shouldn’t be a problem.”