A HEREFORDSHIRE student is hoping to help an impoverished family in South Africa.

Rhianwyn Porter, who is from Tupsley and studying in Oxford, has just completed the Great South Run to raise funds to build a house for a township family.

Rhianwyn said: "It is only one house and one family but every little helps and we felt we needed to do something to help.

"Many families live in shacks made out of anything they can lay their hands on. There are lots of families who live in tiny areas without electricity or running water."

Rhianwyn, who is studying youth and community work and applied theology at Oxford Brookes University, needs to raise £5,000 towards the project and her run generated £300.

She was put in touch with the charity through her connections at St Davies Church, in Pencoed, near Bridgend in South Wales, where she has been doing youth work.

"I am also training to run future marathons, after seeing the video used by the London 2012 team about inspiring younger generations.

"It captured my imagination and I hope to be running for Great Britain in the 2012 Olympic marathon," she added.

Anyone wishing to help Rhianwyn can contact her on rhisb2001@hotmail.com or on 0777 3330689.