A FORMER Newport woman who calls herself 'The Running Comic' will complete ten marathons this year in aid of charity.

As if this was not enough, Nisha Harish is also using her new-found love for stand-up comedy to add to her fundraising efforts.

Miss Harish, whose family still live in Newport, started her marathon running last year with the New York Marathon.

The former St Joseph's High School pupil said she enjoyed it so much that she "caught the bug" and planned an ambitious ten marathons for this year.

Miss Harish, 33, who by day works for Ernst and Young in London, recently completed the Paris Marathon and flies out to China today for the Great Wall of China Marathon.

Her other challenges this year include the Edinburgh Moonwalk Marathon, the South Downs Way Challenge, the Marathon du Medoc, the Berlin Marathon and the New York Marathon.

Miss Harish's training includes running about 50 miles a week usually completing about 5 miles a day before work.

She will raise money for the Stroke Association, Medecins Sans Frontières and ECPAT UK.

But Miss Harish said she wanted another way of raising money for the charities without having to ask people for direct donations.

She came up with the idea of doing comedy gigs and has joined forces with a team of people who call themselves 'The Running Joke' whose fee goes to their chosen charities.

Miss Harish did an intensive three month course to learn the art of stand-up comedy.

Miss Harish said she wants to do more gigs including in Newport.

To sponsor Miss Harish, see the website below.