A WOMAN ran for more than 40 hours to raise money for charities close to her heart.

Amanda Kirtley, an engineering administrator for Stagecoach, ran one of Cumbria’s toughest challenges - the Lakeland 100 - and raised more than £1,425.

Her employer, Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, has also committed to donate an extra £500 which bring the final number to just shy of £2,000.

It will be split between Penny Jones Animal Hospice, based near Hethersgill, and Eden Valley Hospice.

Amanda finished the gruelling route in just over 40 hours, which meant she missed the official end-time but still completed the race.

She said: “If you leave the last check-point within the cut-off time, whatever time you finish, you finish.

“I was 41 minutes over but given the conditions that I was out in, I’ll take that.”

As if running 105 miles wasn’t tough enough, Amanda also had to endure temperamental weather conditions to make it challenging.

“It was just so humid on the Friday night,” she recalled. “Come four o’clock in the morning, as I was just coming out of Keswick, the heavens opened.”

Lynette Foord, from the Penny Jones Animal Hospice, said: “The Penny Jones Animal Hospice would like to say a huge thank you to Amanda Kirtley for competing in the Lakeland 100 at the weekend and raising £1270 plus Gift Aid in sponsorship to be divided equally between the Eden Valley Hospice and the Penny Jones Animal Hospice.

“It is a wonderful achievement, every penny raised will go towards the animals and is greatly appreciated. Thank you to everyone who sponsored Amanda.”

Amanda challenges herself to a new race every year.

She hadn’t planned to do the Lakeland 100 this year, but decided to seize the opportunity.

She said: “I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was happy all the way around and I never had any negativity in my head.”