A UK woman who claims that keeping fit has helped her to conquer bipolar disorder will run the London Marathon next year in the name of mental health charity Mind.

Laura Moses, Hartlepool, hopes that her efforts will help to raise awareness of bipolar disorder and the potential health benefits of regular exercise, which she claims has been her “saviour”.

The 25-year-old was first diagnosed with the condition four years ago, which she says changed her life completely.

“Having a mental health illness, is hard, but you can get through it. There might be days when you feel like it’s the end of the world but you can do it,” she said.

“The diagnosis of bipolar was hard to accept at first. As I know I am going to be on medication for the rest of my life, and that is hard, but I didn’t chose to have bipolar, it chose me and I accept that’s just the way things are.

She added: “Over the years, I did try and take my own life, a number of times. But now, looking back, I’m so glad it never worked as I have so much to look forward to.

“Exercise, going out running and writing has been my saviour – these are some of the things that make me feel better”.

Recent research suggests that regular exercise can help to boost self-esteem and mood, while reducing the risk of depression and stress. It can also help to lower the risk of developing chronic diseases such as stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.