Ice skating challenge in Telford for cancer charity

Kelli, a cancer patient when she was younger, said it was important to take part in the event

Ice skaters have completed 100 laps of a rink to raise money for children with cancer.

About 40 people of all ages attended the event at Telford Ice Rink in Shropshire, which has been held for the past 10 years.

Organisers hope to have raised more than £1,000 for the Children with Cancer UK cause.

Kelli, 13, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, said she felt it was "quite important" to take part.

She was diagnosed with the cancer when she was just three months old and relapsed at the age of three, she said.

"I know that that was quite a difficult journey for my mum especially," she stated.

"I don't remember too much."

But Kelli, who wanted to take part in Thursday's event because of her experience when she was younger, said she enjoyed skating.

"I saw it advertised... and I thought immediately that I had to do that and raise as much money as possible," she said.

Organiser Cheryl Blewitt is one of the professional teachers at the ice rink

Organiser Cheryl Blewitt, a professional teacher at the rink, said a relative's illness had led her to take part. "I just thought it was a good charity to support and they really are," she explained.

"I think for some of the hockey lads, they're really quite fast around the ice, but I think it's still a challenge to keep going for the 100 laps without a rest really."

Ms Blewitt said skaters from children to an 86-year-old man were there and most of them completed the 100 laps.

She thought the man, a regular at the site, totalled about 60 laps in what was his first appearance at the sponsored skate.

Some of "the very little ones set their own targets", she said but added that overall the fastest people attending finished 100 laps in about an hour and others took up to two hours.