A WOMAN who lost her mum to a brain tumour will be running the equivalent of four marathons in four days to raise money for charity.

Claire Hobson, 36, of Bagshot, will start her mammoth challenge from Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot, where she was born, to Rochester Castle, in Kent, where her mum Penny Rowland was born, and back again, a total of 110 miles.

Penny, a former dance instructor who later worked for 20th Century Fox as an Area Rep, was diagnosed with a low-grade glioma brain tumour in 2009 following a blackout. She underwent radiotherapy, but in 2015 she had to undergo chemotherapy when the brain tumour was found to have become cancerous.

A year later, the tumour had grown again and, despite taking part in a clinical trial and starting a new course of chemotherapy, Penny’s neuro-oncology team advised the family that there was nothing more that could be done. Penny passed away on September 15, just seven months after marrying her second husband, Glenn, and just a few weeks after her 66th birthday.

Claire, Glenn and her sister Stefanie Rossnagle set up a fundraising page called In for a Penny to raise money for Brain Tumour Research, and Claire is hoping to raise more than £1,500 during her challenge.

The Sandhurst Joggers regular has run 12 marathons, and four years ago ran three marathons in three days.

Claire said: "I am a bit nervous about my ultra-marathon – I know it’s going to hurt a lot, but I am excited too. I will get to see parts of Surrey and Kent I have never seen before and at the same time I will be honouring and remembering Mum. What’s more, I know that the money raised will help to find a cure for this terrible disease so that other families don’t have to go through what we have and, most importantly, Mum won’t have died in vain.”

Michael Thelwall, Head of Community Fundraising for the Brain Tumour Research charity said: “We are really grateful to Claire and In for a Penny for their support and awareness- raising and wish Claire the best of luck in completing her extraordinary challenge. The money raised will help us in our mission to build a network of experts in sustainable research. We are funding dedicated UK Centres of Excellence where scientists are focused on improving outcomes for patients and, ultimately, finding a cure.

“For too long, brain tumours have been a neglected cancer and we cannot allow this desperate situation to continue. Sadly, less than 20% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers.”

To sponsor Claire, visit www.sponsorme.co.uk/clairehobson/in-for-our-penny