A GROUP of friends will run the inaugural Chelmsford Marathon later this year in memory of a man who tragically died after falling from a hotel balcony.

Rob Williams, 27, of Pigstye Green Lane, Willingale, near Chelmsford, fell after sleepwalking at the De Vere Theobalds Park hotel, in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, in December.

He had been at the hotel with work colleagues following a Christmas party when he fell about 13 feet.

Eight of his mates will run the marathon on Sunday, October 19, and will be raising money for Cancer Research at the same time, a charity Rob was a keen supporter of.

Friend Andy Davidson, 28, said: “At Rob’s wake we were having a chat saying we should do something in his memory and this came up. It’s the first one so we thought it was a good reason fitted in well.

“The majority of us all signed up for it. We’ve some training, and I’ve been put in charge of nutrition, though some of the lads think it will be a walk in the park!”

The friends all knew Rob through school and football.

Andy said they’d been mates for 15 years. He added: “We all went on holidays together, it was a close group.”

Just before his death, Rob took part in a triathlon to raise money for the charity.

Andy said it was a “no brainer” to run for the same group.

To donate, visit www.

justgiving.com/remember/ 97917/Rob-Williams