A former Royal Marine and Falklands veteran is returning to the islands in March to help raise funds for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust and the Royal British Legion by taking part in the Stanley Marathon.

Graham Jones, now a Cheshire Police dog handler based at Blacon, currently looks after a German shepherd called Janos and a springer spaniel named Saddle, but 30 years ago he was part of the British forces sent to liberate the disputed islands from Argentinian invaders.

Graham said: "I was only 17 years of age during the conflict and celebrated my 18th birthday a few days after the surrender in Stanley, the Islands capital.

"This is my first visit to the Falklands since 1982."

Revealing that a close friend, ′Swasie Turner′, a former Merseyside Police Sergeant who was disabled in the line of duty, will also accompany him, Graham added: "Not only am I going there to compete in the marathon and raise much needed funds for today’s veterans, but also - on a personal level - to pay my respects to friends and comrades who lost their lives in the conflict."

The marathon, which starts and finishes overlooking Stanley Harbour and runs through the airport and around Sappers Hill, takes place on Sunday March 18.

Donations can be made at www.bmycharity.com/falklandsmarathon