POLICEWOMAN Jo Murphy has raised an astonishing £2,520 for charity after running a gruelling 96-mile race - spurred on by her determination to help children who have lost their sight, as the son of a colleague in Dunfermline had.

The 30 year-old from Crossgates ran this year's West Highland Way Race to help sight loss charity RNIB Scotland record a new ‘Talking Book’ for blind and partially sighted children.

“Like most others, I take for granted basic things in everyday life,” Jo says.

“I love heading for the hills and enjoy picturesque locations, something I could not begin to imagine never seeing again.

“But imagine one day losing your sight as a child without any warning".

Added Jo: "Last July, my colleague Tony Herring’s 11 year-old son, Cameron, complained of having a sore back.

"Three days later he was in a coma in hospital, struck down with a virus. To this day, the cause isn’t known. His family endured a heart-breaking few months and were unsure as to whether he would survive.

“Cameron's speech has been drastically affected but he has continued to defy the medical staff and is improving in many aspects each day. However, he is now completely blind after damage was caused to his optic nerve and his sight may never return.

“I wanted to raise enough funds to allow RNIB to record a new ‘Talking Book’ for children with sight loss like Cameron. RNIB audio-books are professionally narrated and recorded so children can share the same fun and excitement of reading as their sighted peers. I couldn’t think of a more fitting cause to raise funds for.”

From the sponsorship money Jo has raised from friends, family and supporters, she is sponsoring a children's ‘Talking Book’ for £1,500. The title she has chosen is ‘Salt to the Sea’ by Ruta Sepetys, which has won the Carnegie Medal, one of the UK's oldest and most prestigious children's book awards.

The remaining £1,020 will be donated towards RNIB Scotland’s Haggeye youth forum and its own drive to raise funds for another Talking Book.

"I’ve been simply overwhelmed by the generosity of people who have donated,” said Jo. “I‘ve raised far more than I ever imagined I would!”

Jo was determined to better her previous time in last year’s West Highland Way Race. She finished with a personal best of just 19 hours, 57 minutes. The race begins in Milngavie near Glasgow and ends in far-off Fort William, traversing Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor and Glen Coe.

The scenic splendours - even when seen through wind and rain - and the camaraderie among the runners compensated for the endurance and stamina needed to not just run, but race, 96 miles.

“At one point,” she recounted, “the wind and rain was battering my face and was relentless.

"Looking up I was met with the sight of three miles of winding trail. So cruel! Before I knew it, the descent was upon me, my jacket acting as a slight wind-breaker but also seemed to double up as a parachute and I was lifted off the ground at points. Very Mary Poppins! There may have been tears...”