LONDON Marathon runners will be able to take advantage of free return coach travel from Oxford to the capital at the weekend.

Oxford Tube, the 24-hour coach service from Oxford to London, is offering the perk to participants on Saturday and Sunday, April 22 and 23.

Marathon runners travelling from Oxford can receive the free travel simply by showing their race number, certificate or badge to the Oxford Tube driver as they board the coach.

The Stagecoach Oxford Tube service runs up to every ten minutes, 24 hours a day.

Martin Sutton, Managing Director of Oxford Tube said: “We know runners participating in the marathon will want to stay focused and we want to show our support by taking one thing off their mind – the travel.

“We’d like to wish everyone all the best for the race. We’ll certainly be watching!”

Oxford Tube advises London Marathon runners using its service to allow plenty of time to get to the start line.

Runners can get off the coach at London Victoria, and take the Circle or District Line to Tower Hill, then Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Greenwich.

Free travel is only valid on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 April.

Runners should check the TfL website before they travel for information on London Underground services.

More than 50,000 people are set to take pat in the 37th London Marathon on Sunday.

The starting gun will first sound for the wheelchair race, which gets under way at 9am. They will be followed out of the blocks by the Paralympic runners taking part in the IPC Athletics Marathon World Cup.

The Elite Women's group will leave the gate at 9:20am.

And last but not least, the Elite Men's group, along with the thousands of fun runners, will depart at 10am.