A STUDENT who went to the same school as Witney schoolgirl Liberty Baker has pulled on her running shoes with the goal of raising at least £3,000 in her memory.

Natalie Varney, who was two years above Liberty at The Henry Box School, will tackle the London Marathon on Sunday, April 24, in aid of road safety charity Brake.

The charity benefited from money raised at Lib Fest in The Leys last summer and is supported by Liberty’s parents Paul and Maureen.

Miss Varney said she hoped by pounding the 26.2-mile course through the capital she could give something back to Liberty’s family.

The 18-year-old said: “What happened had a massive impact on the town and I went to Liberty’s school and knew her from seeing her around there.

“I cannot imagine what her family has been through. It is nice to have their backing for what I am doing.

“A lot of people in Witney know about what happened and there is the Lib Fest fundraiser so it is nice to contribute to raising money for Brake.”

Liberty was killed when a car driven by Robert Blackwell mounted the kerb in Curbridge Road and hit her as she walked to school on June 30, 2014.

Blackwell later admitted causing her death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for four years.

Miss Varney was one of dozens of Year 11 pupils who had been due to attend a school prom on the night of June 30, only for it to be cancelled following Liberty’s death.

The Abingdon and Witney College student said: “That is part of the reason why it is so close to me, it was a memorable day for all the wrong reasons.

“I have to raise £3,000 in order to run and I am currently at just under £500 but I have fundraising events coming up.

“There will be a Clubbercise event at The Henry Box School on March 11 at 7pm and a coffee morning in late March.

“My mum works for the Oxford Wine Company and they will be hosting a wine tasting.”

Full details about the coffee morning and wine tasting will be released in the coming weeks.

As part of her training Miss Varney regularly runs around Witney, sometimes with Liberty’s mother, and is planning to take on the Heyford Park half marathon on March 20.

She said: “When I am out running at the moment I am trying not to think of how far I have left, I am focusing on how far I have gone.

“I want to make it around the course in four hours and 30 minutes.”

* To donate to Miss Varney’s fundraising marathon run, visit justgiving.com/nataliesmarathonchallenge.