WALKERS of all ages raised vital funds for charity by taking part in the first ever Waveney Walk at the weekend.The event, organised by cancer survivor Derinda Starling, saw walkers make their way round the Beccles Marsh Trail on Saturday afternoon to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

WALKERS of all ages raised vital funds for charity by taking part in the first ever Waveney Walk at the weekend.

The event, organised by cancer survivor Derinda Starling, saw walkers make their way round the Beccles Marsh Trail on Saturday afternoon to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Mrs Starling, who has had radiotherapy and chemotherapy since being diagnosed with cancer of the oropharynx last July, said she hopes the walk can take place again in future.

“This year's walk has been a bit of a trial to see how it goes, and although it's been hard work to organise we've had lots of support and I'm really pleased to see people joining in.”

Mrs Starling, who lives in Ilketshall St Andrew, was lucky that her own cancer was caught early at the James Paget University Hospital and could be treated at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

With her partner Phil Griffith, she has helped at other fundraising events but wanted to organise the walk herself to give something back to the doctors and researchers who helped her survive cancer.

Cancer research UK's area volunteer manager Paul Fleet said: “Derinda has done brilliantly organising this event. Hopefully it will be the first of many.”