A week off work for most provides time for much-needed rest and relaxation, but not for a Portishead woman – who instead walked 157 miles on a treadmill for charity.

Ali Wilks, aged 48, walked six marathons in seven days at Portishead Sainsbury's - where she works as a food trading assistant - in aid of Little Paws Rescue and Portishead Youth Centre.

Her incredible efforts - walking for eight hours a day without toilet or food breaks from October 1-8 - raised more than £2,400 for the causes.

Ali, of Glebe Avenue, walked the equivalent distance of Portishead to Newquay and took a week's holiday to complete the challenge.

She told the Times: "I like doing my bit for a charity. I had already done a marathon walk for Macmillan Cancer Support, but I fancied something bigger and better.

"After the first day when I got off, it felt like my feet were heavy, but as the week went on the easier it got.

"I had an army of feeders to give me some bacon rolls on the go so I didn't need to stop."

The challenge is unlikely to be the end of Ali's fundraising efforts.

"I'm weighing up several options," she said. "I'm playing with the idea of a really long walk or a sky dive. I'm open to suggestions."