A TEAM of devoted parents are donning silly costumes and their trainers to help raise hundreds of pounds for autistic children.

Four fantastic fundraisers from Magic Moments 4 Autistic Kids are running 13 gruelling miles in The Great North Run on Sunday, September 19.

Although the group from Scunthorpe will be raising money for the North Lincolnshire charity as a whole, each runner has a personal reason for crossing the finish line.

Lisa Cryer, 37, of Scunthorpe said: "My daughter Hope, 12, has autism and she was the reason why the Magic Moments charity began back in 2002.

"2010 has been a very difficult year for Hope – she broke her collar bone and moved schools, which she found very hard to deal with.

"Although I am running for all of the children who are helped by the charity, Hope is my main inspiration for signing up for the race."

Lisa said she is really looking forward to running alongisde 54,000 participants at the famous event.

"Alison and I have been going to the gym every morning and playing squash in the evenings to make sure that we are ready for the race," she said.

"I am really looking forward to the event, but I am very nervous that I am going to go the wrong way"

Fellow runner Michael Baker Revell, 43, of Scunthorpe, is using the race as a good excuse to dress up.

"I will be running as Woody from the Toy Story films," he said.

"The girls will be running as the Spice Girls which is really funny – it is great that we can all support each other across the line.

"My son Damien has ADHD and Magic Moments has been truly wonderful to him and the whole family.

"We have been on so many trips and made a lot of new friends."

Alison Carter, 54, of Scunthorpe, has been involved with the charity since its launch eight years ago.

"My son, Phillip, has autism and we have been with the charity since the very start in February 2002.

"I really hope that we can get lots of sponsors and donations because the money we raise will make a huge difference to lots of autistic children and their families."

To donate to the group visit www.magicmoments4autistickids.org.uk