A Hilperton runner has smashed her fundraising target in support of a charity working on a cure for bowel diseases.

Janine Martin has raised £1,460, which is 145 per cent of her target, for Crohn's & Colitis UK.

With an original goal of £1,000, the fundraiser has helped draw attention to a disease affecting approximately 500,000 people in the UK, with the true number being potentially double that.

Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2008, Ms Martin's journey has been riddled with flare-ups, hospital stays, and a life-altering emergency surgery leaving her with a stoma.

She is now seeking to spread awareness and combat stigma attached to the disease.

To mark one-year since her stoma, from January 1 until May 27, Ms Martin ran at least a mile a day - a total of 148 days.

She said the challenge would "give me 148 reasons to keep putting the right foot forward and maybe spread a little love and light along the way".

Her efforts are a part of Crohn's & Colitis UK's bid to aid people living with the lifelong disease.

The charity not only offers information and support for those affected but also works towards improving diagnosis and treatment, and funds research for a cure.