A Sue Ryder shop manager has raised £4,000 for the charity by trekking the Great Wall of China.

Natalie Marshall, from Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, took on the six-day challenge to support Sue Ryder's end-of-life and bereavement services.

The 48-year-old, who manages the charity's Stanground Central Square shop, travelled to Beijing for the trek.

She started her journey in the small town of Huangyaguan, in the Yanshan Mountains, and spent up to seven hours a day walking along the wall, completing almost 40 hours of climbing in total.

Ms Marshall has worked at the Stanground shop for ten years and said she is aware of the "vital support" provided by the charity.

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She said: “This was one of the toughest challenges I’ve ever faced, leaving me in pain, emotional and overwhelmed throughout but I lived to tell the tale and can safely say it was definitely worth every step."

Funds for the trek were raised through bingo nights and tombola events organised by volunteers at the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice and the Stanground shop.

Ms Marshall said: "I am very aware of the vital support the charity provides and am proud to say that the money raised will help Sue Ryder ensure that everyone approaching the end of life or living with grief can access the support they need.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to the volunteers at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice and the Stanground shop, who helped raise this money through numerous bingo nights and tombola events.

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"I really couldn’t have done it without them.”

This is not Ms Marshall's first trek for the charity.

In 2019, she raised £3,500 by taking on a challenge in the Sahara Desert.

Sue Ryder relies on fundraisers and public generosity to continue supporting people with life-limiting illnesses or those grieving loved ones.