A group of ‘mad matriarchs’ with the combined age of 265 years has taken on a walking coastal marathon for charity.

Friends Sue King, Angela Lambert, Vanessa Nancarrow and Lizzie Barlow have together raised £2,024 for Care International after completing the route from Swanage to Kimmeridge.

The group, known as the Mad Matriarchs, was among the oldest of the participants taking on the ‘strenuous’ Jurassic Coast walk on June 3.

Sidmouth resident Sue signed up to the marathon as a way to lose weight before her hip operation, which will take place later this month.

The 64-year-old challenged herself to complete 20 miles of the course, and hopes to continue raising money for the charity.

She said: “In the beginning it was all to help prepare for my operation; it was very selfish to start with and then we started raising money for the charity.

“I came in last, completing my own personal challenge of 20 miles. I was slow because of my severe arthritic pain. But if I had not been out of time I could and would have completed it all, coming in by torchlight if necessary. Nobody thought I could do it with my pain and mobility problems, but I did.”

The grandmother hopes to reach her fundraising target of £1,250 and keep walking, after seeing the health benefits.

Sue said; “I was three-and-a-half stone heavier. It’s never too late to get fit. I’m going to get more fit; it will improve my quality of life.”

She praised her friends Angela, from Branscombe, Vanessa from Luppit, and Lizzie from Honiton, who completed the course in more than 11 hours.

CARE International works in 79 countries to improve the lives of women and girls by reducing poverty and providing opportunities to help people to become self-sufficient.

Sue added: “It is a great charity. Our walk was stunning, and in places very severe. But the cause, Care International, was a very worthwhile one. Women walking to help women and girls in poverty or suffering mistreatment in third world countries.”

Sue’s donation page is open until July 3, to donate online, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Sue-King19