Royal treat brings weighty challenge

Gillian Lingard, who works at Asda in Princess Way, has been selected to run a leg in the race in which thousands of people will complete stages across England.

The relay is being billed as one of the principal celebrations of the Golden Jubilee and will culminate in the opening ceremony of this year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Gillian, of Lionel Street, Burnley, has already started a rigorous training programme in a bid to lose three stones before the event.

She said: "I am so pleased to be doing this, but between now and June I need to lose three stones. I wanted to lose the weight anyway, now I have a great incentive."

Gillian's training programme is being overseen by her firefighter brother, Gordon Edmonson.

Gordon has compiled an exercise regime which has Gillian pounding the streets of Burnley and Padiham and swimming three nights a week. It is already beginning to pay off as Gillian has shed 10 pounds in less than seven days.

She added: "When I first started running I was really out of breath, now it's getting better, but my brother has really got me working hard.

"He is being very strict. He is only my little brother, but knows a lot about keeping fit. He plays football, goes ki.ckboxing and works for the fire brigade in Nelson."

Gillian's nomination was in recognition of her work as events co-ordinator at Asda's Burnley store.

Since she took up the post last year, Gillian has devoted her life to raising money for charity and estimates that in the past 12 months, she and her team have raised more than £6,000.

She was nominated secretly by her colleagues and Gillian knew nothing about the proposal until the news was relayed to her yesterday.

Store manager Graham Price said: "Gillian does a fantastic amount ofwork for the community and raises a lot of money for good causes.

"We would love to go and see her run, but knowing our luck, she will be asked to run in Aberdeen!"