A TEAM of Taunton runners are gearing up to take part in the world's biggest and fastest city marathon in Berlin later this month.

Lining up alongside Olympic and world champion Haile Gebrselassie, Kenyan Samuel Korir and more than 50,000 international competitors, the nine-strong group will be the first team to Germany from Taunton's new fast-expanding Running Forever Running Club (RFRC).

And as well as raising funds for the Cancer Research and Dream Come True charities, the runners hope to pave the way for more challenging running collaborations by local fun runners and serious athletes in future.

Club president Simon Reach said the explosion of interest in running in Taunton has been "extraordinary".

"The numbers just continue to grow and grow," he said.

"It started with just a few dozen enthusiasts training up for the Taunton Half-Marathon two years ago, and now on a Wednesday evening its not unusual for more than 100 runners of all standard to turn up - and that training is going on right through the year!

"We have two groups preparing at the moment, one for Berlin and one for the Taunton 10K event on the same day, and there are runners from the club entering events all over, all of the time. Its amazing. We've seen a lot of people starting from scratch compete in their first marathon, which is a great achievement, and others returning to running after years away. Its great to see, good for health and fitness, and of course there is also the social side."

The Berlin team (pictured) comprises Taunton Deane Council workers Mike Nicholls and Helen Phillips, Matt Nickels from Tone Leisure, Musgrove Park hospital staff Lisa Farthing and Philip Ireland, Richard Huish college geography teacher Rich Palmer, Nick Cutler from Taunton Rowcliffes, Taunton-based Italian, University of Bath lecturer Elena Minelli, and Fitness for Life consultant Steve Reading.