A FUNDRAISING couple from Kidderminster are taking on six gruelling challenges in four months after they were inspired by a four-year-old girl’s brave cancer battle.

Katie Ivins and Bambi Shaw, both 23, are tackling a series of events to help raise money for Sara’s Hope Foundation, who offer respite holidays for children with cancer.

Miss Ivins, who works at Kiddywinks Day Nursery, decided to raise money to support the family of Lilly Hickman, four, who was diagnosed with the rare eye cancer, retinoblastoma.

Lilly, who attended the nursery, was handed a week’s holiday to Crete courtesy of the charity after her Mum Louise Hickman, 36, applied for a much-needed family break.

Miss Ivins said: "Lilly came to the nursery that I work at now and I was her KEYS Mentor.

"I had quite a nice bond with her and her family.

"Lilly is such a lovely little girl and Louise is such an inspiration.

"Speaking to Louise, they told me how the charity Sara’s Hope Foundation needs help with raising money so I wanted to do it for charity.

"This is my first ever time doing anything like this but we just thought we would do it, so we have been running up any hill we can find to train for it."

Miss Ivins and Miss Shaw, who works at NicFit Gym in Kidderminster, have raised £400 from completing four of the six events as either a team or an individual.

So far, Miss Shaw has completed Offa’s Dyke on June 19, Costwold 24 Hour Race on June 23 and 24, and the Gloucester Marathon on August 7.

The duo have also completed the RedBull 400 challenge in Germany on July 17 and are preparing for the Great North Run and The Mercian Challenge in September.

Miss Ivins said: "RedBull was 400 metres which we had to run uphill at an altitude close to 200m. I finished it in 11 minutes and Bambi completed it in eight.

"I could not walk after as it was really tough, but we are already really excited for the next events."

To donate, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/katieandbambirun.