TAUNTON Town goalkeeper Lloyd Irish has pledged to run five half-marathons, starting this Sunday, in a bid to raise £3,000 for a diabetes charity.

The Peacocks stalwart - who has been heavily involved in the club's community efforts during the coronavirus pandemic - plans to take on five 13.1-mile runs between May 2 and May 30, in aid of the Josh Evans Trust Fund.

On his JustGiving page, Irish wrote: "I’ve decided to run five half-marathons throughout May to raise money for a charity that was set up in memory of a good friend of mine who passed away suddenly in 2008.

"The charity supports children with diabetes and with this current pandemic there is no better time to donate to this great cause as people with diabetes are more vulnerable to coronavirus.

"The charity hosts a biannual summer ball, which has had to be cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

"This event generates a significant amount of money to help children with diabetes, therefore I’m hoping my half marathons can help to make up for this.

"I plan to run a half-marathon every Saturday throughout May, and my target is £3,000.

"If we reach this target by Saturday, May 30 at 8am, then I will make my last half-marathon a full 26.2-mile marathon.

"Considering the furthest I’ve ever run before is 10.8 miles, this is going to be pretty challenging for me!"

The fundraising page can be found here.

Elsewhere today, Somerset County Cricket Club has stepped up its own fundraising efforts as its limited edition NHS shirt becomes available to pre-order.

The shirt, designed by junior competition winner Tom (age 12), costs £30 for adults and £25 for juniors.

All profits will go to Love Musgrove and other NHS charities, and the club anticipates that the shirts will be in stock towards the end of July.

Full details are available here.