SCHOOL pupils will don purple to raise money in memory of a parent who lost her battle with cancer last year.

Rebecca Harris will be remembered by pupils of Symondsbury School, including her two boys Rowan, 8, and Joseph, 7, with a memorial walk next month.

The purple parade will head off on a challenging 15-mile cross country sponsored walk on Sunday, June 14 - with an emphasis on family members walking together for a good cause.

Robert Harris, Rebecca's father, said: "The significance is that Rebecca was inspirational throughout her illness and showed considerable courage and bravery.

"We wanted to do something in memory of her because it wasn't sufficient to leave the situation as it was. We felt this was something we wanted to do as a family.

"Purple was her favourite colour. Her favourite thing was her purple dressing gown, so everybody will wear purple in her memory.

"We are going to have a bench at the school so they can remember her as well. She was very popular and the money that is raised will be shared between the school and the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust."

The Fortuneswell Cancer Trust works to improve the services to patients and staff of the cancer unit at Dorset County Hospital.

The walk will offer an opportunity to join in at the halfway point, after the more challenging first half is completed. The halfway break will be at The Anchor Inn, Seatown, and it is expected that children and others will join in at this point for the final leg of the walk to Symondsbury School - where Manor Court Farms will be holding a barbecue next to the Illchester Arms .

As an added incentive, the family that raises the most money will be rewarded with a meal for two, including a bottle of wine, at The Olive Tree in East Street.

Emma Roberts, headteacher of Symondsbury School, said: "Symondsbury School is proud to be supporting the Rebecca Harris Memorial Walk.

"The pupils are delighted that half the money raised will go towards a much needed new collection of reading books for the school, but more importantly they want to play their part in remembering a much-loved and missed mum and to raise money for the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust.

"They will be making banners, helping plan the route and, of course, walking alongside parents and family members, proudly wearing purple, on the day itself."

For more information on the walk and to receive a sponsorship form, please email rhmwalk@aol.co.uk. To sponsor the memorial walk, please visit justgiving.com/RebeccaHarrisMemorialWalk