A PILNING student has completed a gruelling 250km trek across the arctic to raise funds to eradicate meningitis, which killed her sister.

Katie Hanks, 25, set herself the seven-day challenge in memory of her sister Beverley, who was 19 when she died suddenly from meningitis meningococcal septicaemia in 2001.

Katie chose to push herself to the limits during the trek from Lapland to the outer Arctic Circle with the help of husky dogs, just three weeks before her dissertation was due in at Gloucestershire University, where she is studying Health, Community, Social Care and Psychology.

Katie said: "I wanted to do something that Beverley would be proud of, something that would push me to my limits and I have.

"It was so tough. I had been prepared for the difficulty of the sledging but setting up camp every night and being surrounded by 120 howling dogs in total was difficult.

"I knew it would be freezing but to never feel warm for seven days was awful. At one point it was minus 30 degrees. Everything froze, from the sleep in my eyes to toothpaste. At one point we had to melt snow for drinking water."

Katie was joined by 15 other sledgers and four guides, each having five or six dogs pulling them along.

She said: "I did get a little emotional at the end because it had been my one big tribute to Bev.

"Losing her was one of the worst experiences of my life but by raising money I hope I can prevent other families going through the same heartache and devastation."

Katie raised £2,000 doing her trek and will give half to the Gazette's meningitis appeal. She is donating the other half to the Thornbury-based Meningitis Research Foundation.

Donations to support Katie can still be made by visiting www.justgiving.com/katiehanks1