MUM-of-two Sarah Booth will find Fathers’ Day this weekend harder than most as it will be the first without her ‘hero’ Dad.

But the 30-year-old, along with mum Janice Upton, has set her sights on raising £1,000 in her dad John Upton's memory.

They have signed up for their first charity walk for the hospice who cared for John, 53, was an award winning lecturer at Burnley College who died earlier this year.

The duo has already surpassed their goal and have recruited a team of 10 family and friends including Sarah’s sister-in-law Jenny to complete the East Lancashire Hospice Starlight Superheroes walk.

Sarah, from Darwen, who is married to husband Adrian, has two children; Harrison, seven and two-year-old Emily, said: “I’ve never taken part in an event like this before, but I’m doing this for my dad.

"Dad always wanted to make a better life for his family. He was quiet and throughout his illness I never heard him complain.

"Even towards the end when he struggled with breathing, he never moaned about it.

"He made every second count and I have great memories of my daughter playing in the hospice gardens while dad and I enjoyed a cup of tea.

He was always doing something and wouldn’t want us feeling sorry for ourselves. "We’ve always been a really close and this is our way of giving something back for all the care Dad and we received. We’ve called ourselves JD’s Angels.”

In his 30s John was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a rare condition usually affecting the lungs, skin or glands.

He worked in construction and was self-employed until an unrelated illness struck eight years ago and he was in a wheelchair for eight months.

While he was recuperating he retrained to became a lecturer at Burnley College for five years, where he won an award for his outstanding service to the college.

Mum Janice, 53 who also has a son Matthew, 32 said that Starlight Superheroes will stir up memories of her husband.

“I will be a bit emotional, seeing so many who have gone through what we’ve gone through and all there to support each other," she said.

"It just shows that something good can come from a traumatic time. I don’t know what we would have done without the hospice. It was the best place for him to be.”

Sarah added: “I’m looking forward to the walk and we’re planning some fun outfits to wear to go with the Superhero theme.

"My dad will always be my hero. I just want to make him proud.”

Registration for the Starlight Superheroes walk on Saturday, July 16 costs £10 per person until July 6 when the price increases to £30 if places are still available.

Ladies and girls aged 10 and over can sign up at eastlancshospice.org.uk or call 01254 287011.