A PRISON teacher is swapping teaching for training as she prepares to take part in the London Marathon.

Teresa Conway, teacher of business studies at HMP Dartmoor, is busy training to run the London Marathon to raise money for Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity. Teresa, 47, said: 'This has been on my bucket list for a while. About three years ago I had a bad case of pleurisy and this is helping me to get fitter.

'My friend is an alcoholic and she said that if I run a marathon she would stand up and speak in church and obviously she would have to do that sober so that has spurred me on. I also promised my dad before he died last year that I would run a marathon.

Teresa is currently training by running every other day and using the gym.

She said: 'I chose Shelter as my charity because often accommodation is an issue for men leaving prison — this winter it was -7 degrees and lots of men did not have shelter.'

Teresa is hoping to raise £2,000 for the charity. To support Teresa visit virginmoneygiving.com/teresaconway