A WOMAN who trekked across rugged Italian terrain in memory of her brother has smashed her fund-raising target with the help of the Worcester News.

Pat Betteridge had hoped to raise £1,500 for the British Heart Foundation because her brother John Morris died four years ago, aged 52, from a heart-related disease.

After a successful fund-raising evening netted £3,000 she upped her aim to £4,250 - but when her story featured in the Worcester News she was approached by more sponsors and has now raised just over £4,800.

Mrs Betteridge, of Peopleton, near Pershore said: "Your story really helped me to get sponsorship."

The WeightWatchers group leader said the three-day trek along the Amalfi coast with 17 others had been emotional.

She said: "I took John's photo with me because he had never been abroad, so he came with me in a way.

"Most of us were trekking for somebody so it was quite emotional."

The group, which was made up of three WeightWatchers leaders and 15 members of the organisation aged between 21 and 62, walked for five to eight hours each day.

Mrs Betteridge said: "We realised that between us we'd lost more than 30 stone in weight and raised more than £30,000.

She added: "It was an incredible experience and I loved every minute of it."