FIRST they jumped into the icy cold river on New Year's Day, now they are in training for the London Marathon which is just over a month away — Okehampton's doctors certainly don't do things by half in their fundraising attempts for the town's new hospital.

Leader of the hospital campaign Dr Paul Nielson and new boy Dr Nick Woodall will be joined by receptionist Caroline Long and dispenser Lyn Winearls in their 26-mile challenge, which they hope will boost the fund to buy equipment by many thousands of pounds.

At the age of 30, Dr Woodall, who stepped into Dr Andrew Stainer-Smith's shoes last month as a new partner, has youth on his side but Dr Nielson, 45, has the experience — he ran the London Marathon 20 years ago for a cervical cancer charity.

Forty-five-year-old Mrs Long, on the other hand, claims she could not run for a bus in August but her confidence has received a boost after completing the Devon half marathon with Dr Nielson last weekend and Lyn Winearls, 49, is never scared of a challenge, having done a parachute jump two years ago and taken up diving in her spare time.

The medical team hope their efforts will give the appeal a real push as a further £50,000 needs to be raised before the hospital opens in December.

Dr Woodall, who showed he was game for anything when he joined the Hatherleigh Walruses on their annual dip into the River Lew on New Year's Day, said he was surprised when he was accepted straight away to take part in the London Marathon.

'It is always a bit of a lottery and I did not expect to be accepted first time so it was a case of putting your money where your mouth is,' he said.

Originally from Oxfordshire, the doctor used to run for the county at school competition level and was 'fairly sporty' at medical school but is now a bit out of practice.

Dr Woodall's only regret is that he will not be able to take along his training partner 'Frodo', his Cocker Spaniel.

'I am fairly sure I can get to grips with the physical side it is just the psychological side I am worried about,' he said.

'I don't want to get to 17 miles and then get bored and slacken off so I will probably take my headphones and listen to the radio or maybe the atmosphere from the crowd will keep the momentum going.'

As for Dr Nielson, who is also running for CRY (Cardiac Research in the Young) and wants to raise £5,000, he has vowed never to put his trainers on again if he survives the London Marathon.

Caroline Long will also be running for an arthritis charity, because her mum is a sufferer and Lyn Winearls, whose mother has had multiple sclerosis for the past 30 years, is raising money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The runners will have tracking devices on their shoes so their progress can be followed on the internet.

Anyone who wants to help the medical team in their bid to boost the hospital appeal can make a donation or fill in a sponsorship form at the Okehampton Medical Centre.