DAVENHAM Running Buddies’ Pretty Muddy challenge next weekend will be particularly poignant for one of the team.

Julie Rarity, Louise Smith, Vicki Wright, Yvette Heatley, Janet Rourke and Kathryn Alexander are taking on a 5k obstacle course at Tatton Park on June 24.

The Race for Life Pretty Muddy Cheshire involves scrambling over an A-frame, crawling through a mud pit, having fun with friends and raising funds for the fight to defeat cancer.

The women will be raising money for Cancer Research UK, a charity close to Julie Rarity’s heart.

Julie is a nurse at St Luke’s Hospice, and her mum Eileen Maines, 66, who lives on The Wirral, was diagnosed recently with lung cancer.

“Initially I was doing the Pretty Muddy challenge to support Louise,” said Julie.

“However recently my mum has been diagnosed with lung cancer, which has made running the Race for Life even more important.

“It's good to do it as a team event because Race for Life can be so emotional anyway that you need all of the team support and group hugs you can get.”

In the past few years with the support of her running buddies Julie has raised funds for the hospice, and raised money for Liverpool Women's Hospital.

More recently she raised £2,100 for the Make a Wish charity by running an ultra-marathon and three marathons.

Louise Smith, from Davenham, raised more than £7,000 in April by climbing the Eiffel Tower with her husband and daughter a few months after undergoing major surgery for a brain tumour.

The women have hit their target of raising £100, and anyone who would like to support them can visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Lou-Smith7

Julie set up Davenham Running Buddies three years ago when she was training for her first marathon.

“We have 117 members, all running from 5k to ultra marathon, getting people to achieve goals they never thought possible,” she said.

“The way members motivate and encourage others is what makes the group so successful. This will be the third year we will have taken part in Pretty Muddy – it’s addictive.”

For details visit raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/find-an-event/tatton-park-pretty-muddy-5k-2017-06-24-1000