OKEHAMPTON community nurse Meri Cox will be realising a lifetime's ambition when she walks through the rugged foothills of Nepal in November and at the same time raising cash for a cancer charity.

Mrs Cox (pictured right) needs to raise £2,500 to take part in the challenge and is willing to be a Girl Friday in anything from gardening to tennis coaching.

The opportunity to join a charity walk in Nepal came after she received a letter from an old school friend in London.

'She wrote asking for sponsorship for an eight-day walk in Nepal — I said I would love to sponsor her but would much rather go with her,' she said.

'We both had our 60th birthdays last year and the thought was to get on with it before we were too old.'

Luckily Mrs Cox managed to get the last place and now she is setting about the daunting task of finding the funds.

Both ladies' lives have been affected by cancer in some way and so they have chosen to support the Teenage Cancer Trust. All the money they raise will go to the charity.

The nurse said over 2,000 teenagers were diagnosed with cancer each year and because the youngsters were neither children or adults it was difficult to find facilities for them.

The money would go towards building special hospices for teenagers suffering from this disease.

A lover of the outdoor life, Mrs Cox enjoys walking and has taken part in organised treks before including the Two Moors Way.

In Nepal she will be walking an average six hours a day at an altitude of between 9,000ft and 13,000ft.

'It will be quite a challenge but it has been a lifetime's ambition of mine to go to Nepal,' she said.

The walker is appealing for any old or unused items for a car boot sale and is keen to work for her money.

'I do not like asking people for money, so I am prepared to be a Girl Friday for anyone,' she said.

'I do most things from gardening to decorating, baby-sitting to tennis coaching but I steer clear of sewing and knitting.'

If anyone can help Mrs Cox with her fundraising challenge they can contact her on 01837 52887 between 5pm and 7pm each day.