THE mother of a former South Craven soldier killed in Afghanistan is planning to tackle her own army-style yomp to raise cash to help ex-servicemen and women.

Caroline Whitaker – whose son Gareth Thursby, a sergeant in the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, died in September 2012, aged 29 – is planning to take on the Cateran Yomp, a 54-mile cross country walking challenge in Scotland over 24 hours, from June 13.

The walk is in aid of the Army Benevolent Fund and the women have to raise £400 each, so they are looking for sponsors.

"There are six of us doing it together, including a girl who lost her brother and another girl whose brother was injured," said Mrs Whitaker.

"I'm raising money to help the ABF because they give long-time support to any soldier injured in any way and also support to the families.

"After we lost Gareth, the ABF funded a course of counselling for me. So I guess you could say, if it wasn't for them I may not be here now."

Sgt Thursby, a former pupil of South Craven School at Cross Hills, together with colleague Private Thomas Wroe, was gunned down by a rogue Afghan policeman who had pretended to be injured so they would help him.

The soldiers were serving in the south of Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province.

Father-of-two Sgt Thursby, whose wife Louise was from Cross Hills, is commemorated with a stone memorial in Skipton, which was unveiled in November, 2013.

Mrs Whitaker has also organised a coffee morning at Skipton Odd Fellows Club on February 28, on behalf of the ABF.

"We've had masses of gifts so we'll be holding a big raffle," she added.

"We hope lots of people will support us."

Anyone wanting to offer support should contact her on lotty944@live.co.uk.