NEWS READER Nina Hossain is to run for charity tomorrow.

Nina, who was raised in Huddersfield, is kick-starting the New Year in Edinburgh, as she tackles the Bupa Great Winter Run for the Alzheimer’s Society.

The 5km course takes in the beautiful surroundings of the capital’s Holyrood Park.

Top athletes from around the world will be taking part in the serious race, which will be televised on BBC1.

Alzheimer’s Society and its sister charity, Alzheimer Scotland, are Bupa’s chosen charities for the 2011 Bupa Great Run Series.

It is not the first such challenge for the TV presenter, who is a regular host of the popular Examiner Community Awards, held at the Galpharm Stadium.

She took part in the Bupa Great Yorkshire Run in her home county in support of the dementia charity in 2009.

Her late father, psychiatrist Dr Tobarek Hossain, worked with elderly people.

She said: “Running for the Alzheimer’s Society in the Bupa Great Winter Run is the only way for me to start a new year.

“Regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle can help reduce your risk of dementia.’’

Nina, who is the main presenter of ITV London's regional news programme London Tonight, also acts as a relief newscaster for ITV News. She splits her time between South London and the Midlands.

She lived in Taylor Hill as a child and her mother, Pam, still lives there.