Wonder Woman Beth smashes running challenge

Beth Schinkel celebrates completing her charity run with her daughters Maggie (who she is holding) and Annie (second from right) with other youngsters from their childminding group who are (left to right) Maisy McVay (eight) Olivia Metcalf (nine) Aaliyah Lawrence (nine) and three-year-old Archie Sadler.

But to many people Beth Schinkel is a real life Wonder Woman, after completing the challenge half a day early, to raise the fantastic amount of £1,500 to help a young woman who suffered a devastating stroke at the age of 34.

Beth, a complex needs worker for Safenext domestic abuse service, said: "It was tough going at times but when I saw how much support there was for me, that spurred me on.

"There was a couple of times when I wondered if I would be able to do it and I would turn up and there would be a couple of people warming up to join me so that really boosted me."

Beth (36) ran along the path of the Leeds Liverpool Canal in Ightenhill to the Queen Victoria pub and back, four times a day over the course of a weekend.

And when people saw who she was running for they were keen to offer help and support, from bikers and walkers cheering her on to other runners who joined Beth for several miles.

Beth, who is mum to Megan (17), William (14), Annie and Hayden, both seven and 18-month-old Maggie, came up with the idea for the run after chance meeting with Clitheroe man, Gary Kent at Clitheroe Rugby Club where Beth's husband, Getty is coach.

When Gary told the couple how his wife, Heather, had suffered a stroke at 34 while they were living out in Thailand Beth decided there and then she wanted to do something to help.

The couple had only been married seven months and had to abandon their dream life, where they were planning to manage a diving school, and return to Gary's home in the Ribble Valley.

She came up with the idea of the run to help bring in money for a fund set up by Helen Powell, a family friend of the Kent's, to buy Heather a motorised wheelchair to give her more independence.

Plans are also being made to pay for adaptations to the Kent's home to make life easier for Heather.

Beth also wanted to raise awareness of strokes and she wore a t-shirt emblazoned with "Help Heather Get Wheels" which is the slogan of the fund raising campaign.

Beth also organised and hosted a fund raising dinner at the Bombay Lounge in Barrowford.

And Beth's achievement is even more remarkable as she does not consider herself to be a runner.

She said: "The furthest I have ever run is a marathon in May, I consider myself more of a plodder."

For more information about the fund or to make a donation go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpheathergetwheels.