TWO Redditch mums have set themselves a marathon goal - taking part in the world's six biggest running events over the next four years.

Wendy Fleming and Sharon Avery have already got off the starting blocks - with this year's London Marathon under their belt, both taking just over four hours to complete the course and each raising more than £2,000 for charity.

Now they are in training for the New York Marathon on November 6, when they will join tens of thousands of runners to pound the streets of the Big Apple.

And, over the next four years, they aim to also compete in Chicago, Berlin and Boston before ending up at the Tokyo Marathon to coincide with the 2020 Olympics there.

Their Tokyo run will be during the same year that Mrs Fleming celebrates her 40th birthday and Mrs Avery, a West Mercia policewoman, turns 50.

Mrs Fleming, a mother-of-three, who runs a palliative care agency in Alcester and lives in South Street, Redditch, said: "When we ran the London Marathon we saw an exhibition, where we heard about the world series of six big marathons.

"And we thought, if we can do one we can do the rest.

"Apparently only 17 women have ever completed all six so we decided to give it a whirl."

It's an expensive adventure, with the trip to compete in New York alone costing them each £2,500.

On top of that, they are working hard to raise at least £2,000 each through sponsorship and events they are organising in aid of a fund in memory of PC Nicola Hughes, a Manchester policewoman who was one of two women officers shot and killed after answering a routine burglary call in 2012.

The charity provides learning opportunities and pre-employment skills for children who have suffered the loss of a close family member through violent crime.

Mrs Fleming and Mrs Avery - who has two children and lives in Astwood Bank - began training together after running in the Couch to 5k event in Redditch last year.

They are members of the Redditch Stars Running Club and are now busy organising events to raise money for the PC Hughes Memorial Fund.

They are holding a cake sale at the Arrow Valley Park run in Redditch on October 29 and Mrs Fleming is in the process of organising a quiz.