THOUSANDS of pounds have been raised for charity after more than 800 women and girls walked a half marathon through the night.

The fundraisers took part in East Lancashire Hospice's first Midnight Walk which started on Saturday from Ewood Park.

The 12-mile walk followed a route around Blackburn and ended back at the football ground where walkers received breakfast and a medal.

Harry Grayson, the hospice head of fundraising, said: "It's very difficult to estimate how much we have raised. The ladies have all put a £15 registration fee in so it's already raised about £11,500.

"I know a lot of people have raised hundreds of pounds so I'm expecting the final figure will be over £25,000.

"I'm elated considering it's the first time we have done it. It's really been a fantastic community effort."

Hamida Sumra, 40, from Aberdare Close, Blackburn raised over £1,000 in memory of her sister Rashida who died of cancer, aged 42.

Hamida said: "I lost my sister two years ago to breast cancer. When my she was going through chemo-therapy she said she wanted to go walking when she got better. The walk's become personal to me."

Anne Barton, 40, from Radford Gardens, Darwen said: "My mum Gladys Burns died at the hospice in 1997. She was looked after there and I wanted to do something positive."

She did the walk with her daughters Lucy, 17, and Lindsey, 14.

Joanne Gaskell, 33, of Granville Street, Burnley, walked as a member of the hospice team.

She said: "I wanted to support the hospice because I'm ward sister in the in-patient unit."

Kathryn Kinney, 42, of Bushburn Drive, Langho, raised more than £200 with her friend Audrey Holt, 55, of Park Avenue, Clitheroe.

Kathryn said: "My mother-in-law was helped by the hospice four years ago. They were fantastic and that's why I wanted to raise some money."

Jane Barclay, 48, of Bacup, said: "My sister-in-law died of cancer a year ago aged 34. I've also got a friend who has been diagnosed with breast cancer so I wanted to raise some money."

Click on the link below to view our photo gallery from the event