A WOMAN suffering from arthritis will take part in the Great North Run next week to help St Teresa's Hospice.

Eileen Leonard, of Darlington, pictured above, hopes to raise enough money to furnish a room at the hospice, which is dedicated to her mother-in-law Vera Leonard, who died of cancer.

Tomorrow, people can donate money for her efforts at Morrisons, in Morton Park, where Mrs Leonard works.

She said: "I'm hoping to raise £4,000, because that is how much it will cost to furnish the room, which has a plaque in memory of my mother-in-law. The special hospital bed itself costs £1,500. She was a volunteer there herself and I decided to raise the money in memory of her. I have been fundraising all year and I hope the run will bring the total up."

Mrs Leonard, 54, has taken part in the run 15 times, but this year she will have to overcome an extra obstacle - she has developed arthritis in both knees.

"It's quite painful when I start running," she said. "But after a while it is all right. But sometimes I wake up in the night with the pain after I have been training. I hope this won't be my last run, but it might have to be."

People can donate money at the checkouts in Morrisons tomorrow.

For more details, call (01325) 266919.