Five friends have raised more than £3,000 for a Wiltshire hospice by taking part in a marathon.

The friends, Jecinta, Sarah, Amanda, Della, and Susie, are from Swindon and Poole.

They took on the Frankfurt Marathon in memory of their loved ones who were cared for by Prospect Hospice in Wroughton.

Susie ran the full marathon, completing it in three hours and three minutes, while the others took on the relay race, finishing in three hours and 56 minutes.

Susie said: "This was my 12th marathon, and I had an ambition to beat my personal best which I’m delighted to have achieved.

"We’re incredibly grateful for the unwavering support and care that Prospect Hospice provided our friends’ loved ones.

"We’re overwhelmed by the support we’ve received from friends and family; we can’t believe we’ve raised so much to help the hospice continue its vital work."

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Jecinta added: "The care my mum received in her last days was phenomenal, as was the support given to us, her family – nothing was too much for the Prospect team.

"We thought challenging ourselves to run a marathon was a great way to say thank you and to help other families in the same way Prospect helped us."

Jane Farmery, from the Prospect Hospice inpatient unit, praised the group for their efforts.

She said: "This is such an amazing achievement.

"Our specialist clinical team was honoured to care for Jecinta’s mum, Carole at the hospice, and provide remote care for Sarah’s dad, Steve.

"We are so grateful we could offer support to their respective families too.

"The hospice is in a funding crisis at the moment and this donation could enable us to provide 14 night sits so that families can rest with peace of mind that their loved one is being well cared for.

"Thank you so much to Jecinta, Sarah, Amanda, Della and Susie, what an achievement."

Prospect Hospice is a charity providing end-of-life care to people 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and has been rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.

The hospice provides all its services free of charge to patients.

This is made possible thanks to donations from the community it serves which raises 75 per cent of the £8.5million it costs each year to operate.

Specialist teams provide clinical, emotional and practical support to patients and their families delivered at the hospice in Wroughton and in people’s homes.

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