EIGHT soldiers are preparing to pay tribute to a comrade killed in a military training exercise by taking part in the Budapest Marathon.

A squad from the Light Dragoons, based in Catterick Garrison, will run the event, to raise funds for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).

The Durham Tees Valley Airport-based charity flew to the aid of Sergeant Mark Foley and Lance Corporal Josh Osborne in June last year after their vehicle overturned at a live firing area at Warcop, Cumbria.

Sergeant Foley died in the incident, while the Afghanistan tour veteran, from Morpeth, was severely injured but has since gone on to make a recovery.

L Cpl Osborne's family said his recovery had in part been due to GNAAS ensuring it only took 35 minutes from the initial call for the weapons instructor to arrive at James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

Last week, eight members of the regiment visited GNAAS paramedics at their base ahead of running alongside 25,000 others on a marathon course that crosses the River Danube and takes in both the Buda and the Pest sides of the city.

Major Joe Jordan, of the Light Dragoons, which has been dubbed England's Northern Cavalry, said: “We will always be grateful to GNAAS for providing critical and timely action and saving L Cpl Osborne, after he sustained life-threatening spinal and neck injuries."

He said it was not until members of the regiment watched a documentary earlier this year that they realised GNAAS was entirely dependent on public and business donations.

Major Jordan said: "There was a lot of suggestions for charities to run for but GNAAS felt like the right one for us.

“We have done a bit of training in the time that we have had, but it will be a challenge.

"We have had men running the Great North Run many times, but we wanted to do something different.

“A number of us haven’t ran a marathon before, let alone undergone a decent amount of marathon training."

Mandy Drake, of GNAAS, added: “We are immensely grateful to the Light Dragoons for thinking of us.

“The money raised will be spent ensuring the service can continue to respond where and when it is needed. On behalf of those it will help, we thank everyone taking part in the marathon and those supporting them.”

To sponsor the soldiers, visit createanddonate.co.uk