The pair were in the Province on Wednesday to officially launch this year's Sport Relief, scheduled to take place in March.

The UK-wide fundraising extravaganza, held on a biennial basis since 2002, will once again incorporate a sponsored 'Belfast mile' allowing the people of Northern Ireland to contribute to transforming the lives of vulnerable people at home and across the world's poorest countries.

Adults and kids alike - of all shapes, sizes and athletic ability - can rise to the challenge on 21 March, with separate three-mile and six-mile events also available.

Looking forward to her "active" involvement in just over eight weeks time, television presenter Ms Salmon told the News Letter she was looking forward to pounding the streets of the capital city.

"Sports Relief is an event which I have always got involved with since it's inception a few years ago," she said.

"I'm always doing something crazy - running a marathon or jumping out of a plane - but this year I'm definitely going to be running one of the miles in Belfast."

She added: "The brilliant thing about Sport Relief is that you can't just see the work here but also it is about the other projects across the UK and overseas."

Echoing those comments, Northern Ireland striker Healy, who hopes to be in the city dependent on work commitments, urged the Ulster public to fully embrace this year's fundraising activities.

"Get behind Sport Relief - do what you can," he said.

"Get out to do the Belfast mile - it is a fantastic opportunity to raise money for disadvantaged kids."

Salmon and Healy were speaking at the Belfast Activity Centre were they joined children in various outdoor pursuits.

The facility has been a recent benefactor of Sport Relief funds.

Centre manager Stephen Dickson said: "We work with young people from across Northern Ireland giving them opportunities to do challenging activities which bring the best out of them as individuals."

Other Ulster-born celebrities are expected to get fully involved in this year's charity initiative.

Television presenter Christine Bleakley is set to water-ski across the English Channel in one of the most daring pursuits.

Meanwhile, Radio Ulster's Stephen Nolan is set to start training for the six-mile event in Belfast.

Sport Relief takes place during the weekend of Friday 19 to Sunday 21 March.