One woman and her dog take on mammoth walk (From This is The West Country)

One woman and her dog take on mammoth walk

11:00am Saturday 30th April 2011 in Devon

A PLUCKY Tiverton woman will be lacing up her walking boots for a mammoth 630-mile charity walk.

Natalie Husk, aged 32, will start her trek along the South West Coast Path from Minehead tomorrow (Sunday) with the help of pet Dalmatian Toby, in aid of The Leprosy Mission.

She said: “Leprosy in India is surrounded by so much stigma and prejudice that people affected are isolated and treated as outcasts by their families and communities.

“I am walking so that others can walk. I hope to raise £10,000 which will help 1,000 people in India walk again with prosthetic legs and protective shoes.”

The epic walk may be a dream for Toby, but Natalie told the Star that for her, the challenge was daunting.

She said: “I am both nervous and excited. I take Toby on a lot of walks but never something like this.

“I have been doing more walks for longer and am no longer avoiding hills, but am actively seeking them out.

“Part of me is looking forward to it, but part of me is worried. My mum's advice is that I just need to keep walking!”

Natalie hopes to reach her destination, at Poole in Dorset, by June 30.

To make sure 100% of the money goes to the charity, for which she is the South-West's area co-ordinator, she will be staying with charity supporters along the way.

Natalie has already received lots of support with more than £4,000 already donated - to add to her total, click on the related link.

People have also promised to walk short stretches of the coastal path with her for moral support.