A runner is preparing for an intense few months of training as she bids to take part in the London Marathon and raise thousands of pounds to support women who have suffered a miscarriage.

Janet Murray, 42, of Milton Hall Road, Gravesend, knows the heartache. She lost two babies – the first miscarriage resulted in surgery and the second was a potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancy – and admits that she found it difficult to talk about them with others.

One in five pregnancies results in a miscarriage.

She said: “There’s a culture with women not telling people that they’re pregnant, so it’s hard to tell people that you’re feeling upset because you were pregnant and now you’re not.

“It’s not like having a cough or a cold or something that you can get over in a week or two. It can take years. I almost felt ashamed and I felt I couldn’t talk about it and how awful it made me feel.

“You can feel quite alone and women don’t always feel like talking about it.

“I was lucky that I had family and friends to support me and the second time it happened I already had one child.”

That child is 11-year-old Katy Miller, who is backing her mum’s attempt to raise cash for the Miscarriage Association this year.

Janet is a keen supporter of the charity and ran in its name at the 2014 London Marathon.

Janet said: “The fundraising is quite a big thing for me. It’s a minimum of £1,500 I have to raise to run the marathon but I’d like to raise more if I can.”

"I almost felt ashamed and I felt I couldn’t talk about it and how awful it made me feel" Janet Murray

More than £400 has already been donated ahead of the run on Sunday, April 23.

In addition to helping the Miscarriage Association, and raising awareness of what so many women go through, preparing for the marathon also comes with plenty of fitness perks.

Janet runs with the Istead and Ifield Harriers and takes part in the Shorne Woods parkrun every weekend. She has organised a 5km Angel Run to coincide with the parkrun on Saturday, February 25.

If you would like to take part, make sure you wear white and – if you can – adorn yourself with some home-made angel wings.