A GROUP of Minehead friends got together to raise money for a holiday for a friend with terminal cancer – and people have been so supportive that £3,000 has been raised already.

Now the sponsored walk from Lynmouth to Porlock Weir on Saturday, June 11 has turned into a major event with several hundred people expected.

The walk is in aid of Katie Bennett and her family, of Whitworth Road, Minehead

Friend Ashton Barrass, a Minehead mum, bumped into Katie the day after she heard there was nothing more doctors could do to try and cure her melanoma cancer.

Ashton decided to get together with friends and, with Katie’s permission, organise the walk.

A short walk, also from Porlock Weir to Porlock, and a ’party in the park’ in Porlock Recreation Ground will follow.

Katie, who is still having chemotherapy to help prolong her life, will be at the party with her partner Ryan Bosley and children Harry, 12, Bryony, ten, and four-year-old Hudson.

Nearly every shop in town has donated for the raffle or events and within one and a half weeks of setting up a Facebook page it had 2,000 followers. “It’s gone wild,” said Ashton.

“The response from the public has been amazing, we are completely overwhelmed.

“It’s not just a walk for my friends and me now, we’re expecting a few hundred people and have had to sort out everything from public liability to car parking.”

Full story in the Free Press