TWO friends who pushed their bodies to the limit to complete three gruelling marathons within two weeks have raised more than £10,000 for a charity set up in memory of Viola Beach guitarist River Reeves.

After hearing about the 19-year-old's sudden death, gym owner Kim Kelly, 39, and IT consultant Gill Glover, 50, pledged to raise £9,000 to help fulfil the foundation’s mission to launch the Futures in Mind initiative to provide a mobile counselling service.

The scheme is part of an initiative run by the River Reeves Foundation which was set up by the guitarist's family to help keep his legacy alive.

River was 19 when he was killed in a car crash in Sweden alongside Kris Leonard, Jack Dakin, Tomas Lowe and manager Craig Tarry on February 13, 2016.

His family set up the River Reeves Foundation to help young people realise their dreams as actors, writers, artists, directors and musicians.

After completing the Manchester, Boston and London marathons, Gill and Kelly have smashed their fundraising target, raising £10,648.

A number of fundraisers have been held over the past year to support the charity including the launch of Riv’s Runners.

Pupils at Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy in Runcorn have recently raised more than £300 after taking part in the Phoenix Parkrun.

The foundation is currently looking for runners to pound the streets of Warrington as part of the English Half Marathon.

Kim and she has said:

'I am just so pleased to have reached our target. It means so much to be able to support the RRF and help them launch the Future In Mind project. This will make a difference to lots of youngster's lives in Warrington. I urge runners to come and join 'Riv's Runners' at EHM and help us raise more awareness of the foundation and its great work"

I am completely in or of their tenacity both in the training and in their determination to succeed at raising £9000. The very fact they have surpassed this shows that people really want to support the mental health project. We are running a series of workshops with Warrington youth club over the next few weeks to get their input into the project. I am both humbled and proud in equal measures of Kim and Gill.

To sign up visit riverreevesfoundation.org.