A VETERAN charity runner from Kent plans to defy the organisers of the London Marathon to honour a close friend.

Derek McCarrick, 67, from Minster, Sheppey, is proposing to carry out the wishes of a fellow runner who died of leukaemia last year by scattering his ashes during the event on April 13.

But marathon organisers are advising him not to go ahead. They have pointed out that it could be a hazard to other runners.

Mr McCarrick will be running in his 19th marathon and hopes to raise around £6,000 for the Leukaemia Research Fund. He wants to spread half of the ashes of the man he had known for 15 years, on route around Blackheath, The Cutty Sark in Greenwich, Tower Hill and at The Mall.

He wants to spread the other half when he runs in the Great North Run in September. Mr McCarrick stressed: "It was a privilege to have been asked to spread his ashes. This was his request and I've got to do it." His friend was aged 40 when he died.

Michael Butcher, head of press at the London Marathon, said: "This is not something we would encourage other runners to do as it is a hazard for other people, particularly those wearing contact lenses.

"The public are not allowed to spread rubbish along the highway, so we would advice against this."