A GRANDMOTHER in her seventies has raised funds for The Alzheimer’s Society by completing a triple marathon walking challenge.

Keen rambler Christine Wright, 74, who lives at Middleton Woods, Middleton Hall Retirement Village, near Darlington, set herself the task of completing 26.2 miles per month as part of a series of health challenges which residents and staff are undertaking to raise funds for the charity.

Mrs Wright completed walks, averaging around nine miles each, with friends from the Darlington Ramblers’ Association and Countrywide Holiday Association, and rambled across countryside in Swaledale, Cleveland and Wensleydale.

The grandmother of five completed the 78.6 miles over the course of three months, including 40 miles in one month alone, and personally raised more than £300 for The Alzheimer’s Society, which is Middleton Hall Retirement Village’s charity of the year.

Christine’s triple marathon bid was part of Middleton Hall’s ’26.2 Challenge’ which included its managing director, Jeremy Walford, running the London Marathon in April; Living Well manager, Audra Hunt, completing a 26.2min the swimming pool, and other members of staff taking up the challenge to lose 26.2 pounds.

Mrs Wright, who moved to Middleton Hall with husband Peter from Northumberland two-years-ago, said: “When Jeremy threw down the gauntlet to staff about the 26.2 Challenge I thought, what can I do?

“I love walking and it has huge health benefits so I decided to do three marathons over three consecutive months.

“It meant that I had to go out whatever the weather but it was a labour of love and a joy to do.”