TV star Ulrika Jonsson will join more than a 1,000 runners this weekend for the Marlow 5.

And the Free Press is urging you our readers to get behind them.

The run will start at 9.30am on Sunday in Higginson Park and Ulrika, from Cookham, will be among many hoping to raise thousands of pounds for charity.

Ulrika, who has been training hard for months for the run with the help of Marlow fitness instructor Jenny Dawes, is running for the Happy Child Foundation, a new charity which has set up a children's orphanage in Muang Mai near Phuket, Thailand.

Ulrika, who has never run a race before in her life, said her months of training for the event had been far from easy.

Speaking exclusively to the Free Press, she said: "It is just the fact that we should be training 100 per cent every time.

"Sometimes it can make you feel a bit sad. But I am managing to keep up with Jenny a lot of the time."

Ulrika will join a maximum of 1,200 runners at the start line before beginning the route down the High Street.

She is running on behalf of child victims of the Asian tsunami after her friend, Sussi, lost two young daughters to the tragedy while on holiday in the region.

Sussi has now established the foundation and Ulrika will be joining her shortly to help with volunteer efforts.

But Ulrika said her race participation was partly down to trainer, Jenny.

She said: "To help me take part in this run she has been using persuasive powers beyond belief."

Jenny has been struggling with a calf injury but is determined to cross the finishing line with her celebrity training partner.

She said: "Ulrika's been doing fantastically well. She's been training really hard and is in good shape.

"We are hoping to raise as much money as possible for Ulrika's charity and looking for plenty of generous people out there to give their support."

Throughout race day, Claytons Lounge, in Oxford Road, is running fundraising events, including an all-day barbecue and a special auction which Ulrika will attend in the evening.

Marion Slator, of Claytons Lounge, which will have about 40 people running themselves, said it was a worthy cause.

She said: "I think a lot of people have raised money for the tsunami, but this is a very personal cause and we know it will go straight to Muang Mai."

For more information call Claytons on 01628 478620.