Judy, 78, runs up a total of £1,105 from Great South Run

* Judy Smith in Portsmouth after completing the Great South Run at 78.

A Llangollen woman has raised over £1,100 for a cancer charity by completing a half-marathon at the age of 78.   

Judy Smith strode to success in last month's Great South Run in Portsmouth in memory of her late friend and well-known former local vet Sandra Woodhall with whom she founded and organised the famous Llangollen Round Challenge which has raised many thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK since it began in 2012. 

Judy's first estimate of the amount her run had raised for the same charity was just over £450.

But the final tally after her fundraising page closed is a magnificent £1,105.  

Judy had originally planned to compete in the Great North Run but a broken wrist put paid to that and instead she began training for the less demanding southern event of "only" ten miles rather than 13. 

Now she says: "I would like to say a very big thank you to all those who supported my efforts on the Great South Run in memory of Sandra Woodhall. 

"The total raised was £1,105, a fitting tribute to a remarkable and much-loved person, and Cancer Research UK will be very grateful for every penny of it.  Thank you!

"I had to change my plan to take part in the Great North Run but, unfortunately, I managed to break my wrist falling over at the Erddig Parkrun a few months earlier and had it in plaster, so the Great North Run would not have been a good idea. I therefore switched my entry to the Great South Run in Portsmouth.

“I manage to complete the run and, in truth, it was quite good fun and I actually enjoyed myself.

“The atmosphere was fantastic, with 25,000 runners, lots of bands playing, and cheering people lining the streets make you feel good and keep you going - even if you can't quite manage four miles an hour. I wouldn't have wanted to do it again next day though.”