HUNDREDS of women have raised more than £150,000 in the Cotswold Midnight Walk.

All that money will go directly to support people with life-limiting illnesses and their families in Gloucestershire.

The walk is the main fundraising event for Cotswold Care Hospice and the charity is thrilled with the amount raised.

“It has exceeded all our expectations,” said Vicki Hayward, events manager. “We can’t thank the ladies enough. They can rest assured that every penny of that £150,000 will go to help people. We won’t know the final figure until we receive all the sponsorship money."

More than 1,700 women, including ones from Cam, Dursley and Wotton, took part in the 10-mile walk on June 26 which started at Deer Park School, in Cirencester, and took in parts of Cirencester Park and the town centre.

Among those walking was Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen, wife of celebrity designer Laurence, who completed the course in about two hours.

Only in its second year, the walk, supported by Cotswold Life, had a 50 per cent increase in the number of women signing up.

“We are already planning our walk for next year which we hope will be even bigger and better,” said Vicki. “We couldn’t do it without the fantastic support of the ladies who walk. They were all incredible and should be proud of their achievement."

Every year Cotswold Care Hospice helps more than 400 people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. All services are provided free of charge. It must raise £1.6 million to run the hospice every year. The charity receives less than 10 per cent of its funding from the Government.