Brave Gabriel Davies will be inspiring runners at this weekend's Race For Life, when the four-year-old Flitwick boy plays a starring role at the starting line.

Gabriel will start the race, which takes place in aid of Cancer Research UK, on Sunday.

And his mum, grandmother and two-year-old sister will be among the all-female line-up taking part.

Mum Christine Davies, of Trafalgar Drive, said: "Race for Life will be a very difficult day for us but through Gabriel's battle with cancer we have learnt something very important - to never, ever give up hope.

"Gabriel is an inspiration and a beacon of hope to many people. He has been through so much, he has come so far, but we can never forget that he has a long way to go before he is considered to be cured.

"Living with your child having cancer is tremendously hard but it is not always sad. It has, in a way, made us better people because we have learnt to appreciate and enjoy each moment".

Regular readers will remember the Times & Citizen first featured his battle against Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumour (AT/RT) of the brain and spine.

When he was diagnosed in July 2008, doctors gave him a few months to live, but after an aggressive treatment programme, he was given the all-clear nine months later.

And his tale won him the Child of Courage Award in last year's Pride In Bedford Awards - which are being run again this year.

Hayley Gunn-Bruce, the area event manager, said: "It is wonderful that Gabriel is going to start the Bedford event, which is one of just 29 across the UK where women have the choice of taking part in the traditional 5k Race for Life or 10k by continuing round the course for a second time.

"We hope over £294,000 will be raised to fund cancer research. All sponsor money raised from Race for Life goes to fund world-class research and clinical trials which are helping people throughout the country."