A WOMAN who was inspired by a fund-raising run to help tackle cancer is now preparing to take on the Great Wall of China.

Shauna Murtagh, 23, of Monmouth Road, Intack, will trek 40 miles along the giant wall in October in a bid to raise £3,000.

Shauna, who works in the marketing and tourism department at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said: "The challenge starts here because it's less than three months away and I've only raised £700 to date."

The trek takes place in Breast Cancer Awareness month and all the proceeds will go to the breast cancer research fund of Cancer Research UK.

Shauna, who will celebrate her 24th birthday on the trip, said: "It's difficult to meet anyone these days who hasn't been affected by cancer and I'm excited to do my bit to help."

The idea for the trip came after Shauna ran the annual Race For Life at Witton Park, Blackburn, last year to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

She explained: "It sparked something off because I just love the feeling that I'm doing something that can help people who are suffering from the disease.

"I can see myself doing it a lot more in the future."

Shauna, together with 30 other volunteers taking place in the charity's Ultimate Challenge, will trek around seven miles each day. She picked the Great Wall over trips to Machu Picchu in the Peruvian Andes, the Annapurna Range in Nepal and a 100km cycle across the French Alps.

Sibling rivalry spurred her on to take the challenge, as her 29-year-old brother, Gareth, has already spent a year working in Antarctica.

She said: "I've been to Ireland, Amsterdam and France but that's the furthest I've ever been. I'm not looking forward to the plane flight.

"To prepare for the walk I'm running up and down the four flights of stairs where I work in the town hall and I'm also doing a lot of fitness work in the gym."

The charity is hoping to raise £1 million to help find treatments for breast cancer which affects 400,000 women in the UK each year and accounts for more than one in four cancer cases in women.

One in nine women will develop the disease at some point in their lives.

Shauna needs to raise £2,400 by July, in addition to the £300 registration fee she forked out herself.

Shauna, who was educated at St Mary's College, Blackburn, and went on to study English and biology at Keele University, said: "It's such hard work and it's taking over my life at the moment but I'm really enjoying it."

To support Shauna in her Ultimate Challenge, contact her on 01254 585186 or to find out more about her trip and fundraising efforts visit www.sourcecreative.co.uk/shauna_murtagh/default.htm

Cancer Research UK is a major supporter of breast cancer research, with an annual spend of over £15 million.

For more information on the charity, visit the website at www.cancer researchuk.org