A 79-YEAR-OLD who has had two hip replacements and suffers from arthritis plans to celebrate her 80th birthday by running 10km.

Former ultra-distance runner Marie Caldwell, from Bury, was forced to give up running when she was diagnosed with arthritis in 2013.

But now she has been persuaded by her husband Eddie to make a comeback by running the Bury 10K in September to raise money for Bury Hospice.

Mrs Caldwell, who restarted jogging in January, said: “I was running into my mid-70s but four years ago I had both my hips replaced and my cataracts removed in both eyes recently.

“I still work and am still as active as possible.

She added: “A 10k is a short distance for me but I can jog for 90 minutes so I should be able to do it. I will give it a go.”

Mrs Caldwell turns 80 at the end of August and, having had two hip operations, she has been pounding the streets again to raise money for the hospice.

She only took up running aged 45 but is an ultra European record holder for 24-hour races.

She has competed in more than 50 marathons, in her 50s she ran 84 miles in 24 hours and she has run 103.5 miles in a day.

Mrs Caldwell was named Bury Woman of the Year in 2001 and for 20 years has organised the Holcombe Hill Challenge to raise money for the hospice. She has also previously run from Blackpool to Bury for the hospice.

The former primary school teacher has been a coach at Bury Athletic Club, ran fitness sessions at the Jubilee Club for Age Concern around 20 years ago and has been a school governor.

For many years she wrote a running column for the Bury Times

To donate to Mrs Caldwell’s cause visit: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarieCaldwell