BY Royal invitation an officer from Christchurch council will be taking part in this year’s London Marathon.

Carina Gallacher was invited by Buckingham Palace to run in the annual event to raise funds for one of the Diamond Jubilee charities.

She volunteered as a possible entrant on behalf of the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge charity, of which Prince William is the patron.

It aims to protect outdoor recreational spaces in communities across the UK to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Carina, a senior technical officer in the Countryside and Open Spaces department, has been actively involved with Fields in Trust, the organisation which operates the charity.

She has worked with them to put forward three open spaces in Christchurch as some of the areas to be protected as a permanent legacy of the Jubilee.

The three chosen areas in Christchurch are Jumpers Common, Waterman’s Park and Highcliffe Recreation Ground. Anyone wishing to sponsor her can visit justgiving.com/Carina-Gallacher or text PQBA71