A DEDICATED kayaker from Wokingham is set to take part in an international canoe race, after nearly losing her daughter to meningitis.

Bethan Davies will be taking part in the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race, which covers 124 miles from Wiltshire to London.

Ms Davies, who has been doing the sport since she was 12 is aiming to come first in the women’s category and hopes to raise £1,000 for the charity Meningitis Now.

She was inspired to take part in the race after her daughter Emily fell ill two years ago.

Bethan said: “She’d had a temperature for a couple of days but it wasn’t dissimilar to what she’d had before so we weren’t that worried.

“She had a fever in the night and we were up a few times but when she woke in the morning she was still crying a lot and was quite unwell so we tried to give her some milk and Calpol to calm her down. It was at this stage that she started to fit.”

Bethan called an ambulance and baby Emily, who was only nine months old at the time was taken to hospital.

Bethan added: “Lots of doctors descended on her and we were told that they were going to treat her for meningitis.

“She was put on antibiotics and within a couple of days it was confirmed that it was meningitis.”

After two weeks in hospital Emily made a complete recovery.

Bethan has been training every day for the four-day challenge and estimated she will be paddling for around six hours a day during the race.

She said: “I am excited and nervous at the same time. It is going to be a real challenge, but my poor old husband will be following me for support and my parents will be helping out by looking after Emily.”

For more information and to support Bethan, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bethan-davies-dw.