DAVENHAM mum Louise Smith has thanked all her friends and family for their 'incredible' support after smashing her £4,000 fundraising target.

Louise, 42, set herself the target of raising £200 for The Brain Tumour Charity as a thank you for its support after she underwent major surgery in January for a brain tumour.

Donations have flooded in since she launched her appeal three weeks ago, and she increased her target in the hope of raising £4,000 by April 1, when she aims to climb the 704 steps to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower and walk back down again.

She plans to take on the challenge with her husband Mike and daughter Amelie on April 1 in aid of the charity, and hit her new target two weeks before she sets off for the French capital.

The donations now total an amazing £4,672 from 228 people, plus £757 in Gift Aid, a total of more than £5,400.

Louise said on her justgiving page: "Thank you to all my friends and family for your support, and to all those people I have never even met who have donated to this great cause.

"I am so proud to be able to raise this incredible amount for research into finding a cure for brain tumours.

"Whilst I will continue to live with the challenges of my brain tumour, I hope that in future other people will be supported and cured of this terrible disease due to your generous, kind donations."

To support the Eiffel Tower challenge visit justgiving.com/fundraising/lou-smith5​

“I never thought we would raise so much money in such a short period of time, and the pressure is now on to make it to the top,” said Louise.

“Over the past few weeks I've been building my stamina back up by walking Amelie to school when I'm having a good day.

“It's the perfect time of year for recovery, being able to enjoy the fresh air and the arrival of spring.

“A local friend, Hayley Robinson, who is an experienced personal trainer and a medical exercise specialist, has put together an exercise programme for me to work on to improve my strength and flexibility.

“I climbed the steps of the Eiffel Tower many times as a student living in Paris - it used to be free with no queue.

“Twenty years later and after surgery I know it won't be as easy, but I'm determined to keep going, maybe with one or two stops on the way to take in the glorious views.

“The hundreds of steps don't take you right to the top, but there is a lift for the last part. Amelie has never been to Paris and is excited to race to the top, especially on her birthday.”

Louise works at Eurocamp at Gadbrook Park, which is organising an event to boost the total, and Louise’s husband’s firm, Laser Quantum in Manchester, is entering the Great Manchester Run for the charity.

Amelie is a pupil at Davenham Primary School, which is having a raffle at a modern foreign languages assembly to support Louise’s fundraising.