A WOMAN from Ellesmere is entering the final stretch of a 125-mile kayak marathon to raise money for a Shropshire-based animal charity.

Throughout March Grania Miller has been kayaking several miles each day along the Llangollen Canal near Ellesmere, with the aim of raising money for the Grinshill Animal Rescue.

In her most recent update, Grania says she has kayaked a total of 94 miles so far, leaving just 31 miles left to complete.

Following her latest trip on Saturday, Grania said: "Oh my goodness, I am so tired.

"Another 12 miles today in the company of a friend for the whole way, who paddles at a slightly faster rate than I do normally, so now I'm exhausted.

"However, it was nice to have company, especially on the way home when your 'derriere' starts to ache a bit – it's useful to have a distraction from the pain.

"I've raised £750 so far and am so grateful to everyone who's donated, this will make such a difference to Grinshill."

Grania says she was spurred into action through a mixture of avoiding lockdown boredom and wanting to raise money for a good cause.

Grinshill is was the perfect cause for her as it has struggled throughout lockdown, whith Grania also have a personal connection to the charity.

Speaking previously about her mission, Grania said: "Lockdown has been extremely hard for them because, although there is no money coming in from their regular fundraising activities, they still have to cover the costs of looking after all the dogs and cats in their care: food, vet bills, heating, overheads, etc.

"I have chosen to support Grinshill Animal Rescue because, first and foremost, it's where I adopted my gorgeous dog, Luka, from back in 2005.

"I have many, many happy memories associated with him and will always be grateful for that."

Anyone wishing to donate to Grania's mission can do so at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/grania-miller