A mother and daughter are striving to run the London Marathon after being hit by a van and seriously injured during their training.

Mum Kirsten Putland and daughter Jess Langford had been preparing for last year’s marathon in June 2022, and were heading home to Bethersden, when they were knocked down in Bethersden Road near Smarden.

Both were airlifted to King’s College Hospital, London, with multiple injuries. Kirsten, 51, sustained a double fracture on her pelvis, two broken legs, smashed knees, and damaged nerves in her left foot, while Jess, 27, suffered a broken right leg and developed serious neurological complications due to a fat embolism resulting from the break.

The pair were in hospital for a month, and complications meant Jess ended up in an induced coma for a week – her family being told that she may have sustained brain damage – while it was feared Kirsten might never walk again.

The road to recovery has been harder than any marathon, but after major operations, Kirsten and Jess are now learning to regain their mobility and strength.

With the pair are still a long way from full recovery, they’ll both be cheering on daughter and sister Chloe, who lives in Sutton Valence, as she takes part in the Oxford Half Marathon on Sunday along with her dad and brothers.

The event marks the first of many fundraising events for the many charities that helped them, including the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, the Kent Air Ambulance, and King’s College Hospital in London along with mental health support Mind and the Alzheimer’s Society – the original charity Kirsten and Jess were running for before their accident.

The ultimate aim is for the whole family to run the 2024 London Marathon together.

Chloe Langford said: “The Oxford Half Marathon is our first fundraising attempt to raise money for the charities that helped my mum and sister.

“Unfortunately, my sister Jess has recently had to undergo another operation due to her injuries not healing 11 months on, so she is still not able to run the Oxford Half but will be on the sidelines cheering us on.

“In the near future, we hope as a family that we will be able to come together in one way or another, whether that be running or walking, to fundraise for these amazing charities.”

To visit Chloe’s JustGiving page click here.

After an initial target of £2,000 the page has raised more than £4,000, with a new target set at £20,000.

Kent Police confirmed the crash, on Saturday, June 18, 2022, remains under investigation, and that a man arrested after the incident remains on bail.