NEARLY £9,000 has been raised by four Talbot Heath pupils who walked 26 miles along the Jurassic Coast in aid of a cancer charity.

Year eight pupils Emily Baggott, Lola House, Bonnie Sandeman-Lomax and Nancy Taylor completed the trek on May 15, which was in aid of Myeloma UK.

Emily, lost her dad Jeremy Baggott, 50, to multiple myeloma just before Christmas.

He was diagnosed aged 48 and lived with the cancer for two and a half years before sadly passing away aged 50.

The group of friends walked from Knoll Beach to Lulworth Cove in 12 and a half hours and stepped foot onto the pebble beach at Lulworth Cove at 8.30pm.

Emily said: "Multiple Myeloma only accounts for two per cent of all cancers and there is no cure for it. Most people will have heard of Hodgkins Lymphoma and Leukaemia - the two other blood cancers - but few will have heard of Multiple Myeloma. So we wanted to raise awareness at the same time as raise money for vital research into new treatments and, ultimately, a cure."

Emily and her friends initially hoped to raise £1,000 but have managed to surpass that target and have raised an impressive £8,786.05.

Emily's mum Kerry Baggott said: "Throughout the day, I updated the girls on how much money was coming in on the Justgiving site. We were so excited to see the total increase every hour and that gave the girls a real boost knowing that every step was a step closer to finding a cure.

"We are so touched by the generosity, love and support shown to us by the local communities and friends and family. Reading the comments as they come in is so wonderful and, in a strange way, eases our grief just a fraction. So we want to thank everyone."

Myeloma UK is the only organisation in the UK which deals exclusively with myeloma.

This cancer accounts for 15 per cent of blood cancers, and two per cent of all cancers.

Myeloma mainly affects those over the age of 65, however it has been diagnosed in people much younger.

To support Emily and her friends, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/emily-baggott3