CHILDREN from St Catharine’s Catholic Primary School, Chipping Campden, put on some big walking boots to launch The SMA Trust’s 4th Cotswold Way MAD Challenge Walk.

It is the fourth year of this popular event which raised £26,000 in 2014 for research into spinal muscular atrophy, a little-known muscle-wasting condition that is the number one genetic killer of children under two years old.

It involves walking 50 miles through the night along part of the Cotswold Way on midsummer night, June 20/21.

There are also 20 and 10 mile options on Sunday June 21, finishing with a reception for family and friends in St Catharine’s School hall.

Steve Turner, 2014 Cotswold Way walker and former St Catharine’s School parent said: “I would thoroughly recommend the SMA Cotswold Way walk to anyone. The SMA Trust team was incredible and a lot of us would not have been able to complete the 50 miles without their support. Challenging, breath-taking and inspiring. It’s well worth a blister or two.”

Joanna Mitchell, SMA Trust chief executive, said: “The SMA Trust relies entirely on private contributions to fund vital research, so events like this are really important to raise awareness and raise the funds needed to continue our work. The first clinical trials are now under way in the UK, bringing real hope, but with so much work still to do.

"We’re very grateful to St Catharine’s for their help and support not just today, but for the event itself. Our Cotswold Way walk can be as much of a challenge as people want to make it but everyone has a great time and, if enough people take part, we hope to smash last year’s total.”

The entrance fee is £30.

More information about The Cotswold Way can be found on the website: www.smatrust.org or contact Mandy on 01789 801155 or mandy@smatrust.org