A 21-STRONG team of staff and children will take part in Southampton's Race for Life on Sunday under the banner of the Ludlow Lovelies.

Together they represent Ludlow Junior School in Peveril Road, Woolston and include teachers, admin staff, volunteers and even four children.

Admin assistant Julie Coates explained: "A few of us walked last year and were so moved by the whole experience that we told our colleagues at the school and I decided it would be a great idea to enter a school team this year."

Their motivation for taking part has been a strong one - and there is one special person who will be in their thoughts. Many of us have close friends and family touched by this dreadful disease - many of them still fighting and unfortunately some having lost their fight.

"We all felt we had to do something to help especially as a few of our pupils' parents are currently receiving treatment for cancer.

"We also lost our much loved caretaker, Dave Adam, to lung cancer in July last year so this year will be a very moving event," Julie said.

The team is looking forward to having a go on Sunday but Julie explained they were far from being serious athletes.

"We are not fitness fanatics or young, toned beauties but just a bunch of colleagues aged from the mid-twenties to the late 50's that also happen to be good friends - just wanting to do their bit," she said.

The Ludlow Lovelies are backing the Daily Echo Make it a Million campaign. If every one of the 10,000 mothers, daughters, aunties and grannies taking part raises £100 by completing the 5km course on Southampton Common, the city will raise £1m for Cancer Research UK.