A HAMPSHIRE woman has raised almost £8,000 for a cancer charity.

Hester Bassett, of Chilton Candover, near Alresford, is taking part in the Blenheim Palace Triathlon next weekend to raise cash for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.

It comes after her husband Tom, 45, was suddenly diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, large B-cell lymphoma, in January.

She said: “Tom has bravely coped with the usual side-effects and debilitation, as well as some unwelcome complications. For the moment we are living each day as it comes, surrounded by loving and endlessly supportive friends and family, and are given a sense of perspective, however poignant, by our energetic and completely lovely children.

“The vision of the charity is to beat blood cancer and improve the lives of blood cancer patients and I want to play my part in helping them to achieve that.”

The triathlon is the UK’s second largest and is spread over Saturday and Sunday (June 8 and 9) with more than 7,000 people taking part.

To donate to Hester’s cause visit justgiving.com/Hester-Bassett1.