AN animal lover has raised thousands of pounds for an under-threat sanctuary after walking a staggering 50,000 steps in a single day.

Hollie Garforth, 36, from Brightlingsea, has just completed a thigh-burning 20-mile saunter along the Tendring coastline from Walton to Martello and back again.

She also bookended the main bulk of the challenge with a dog walk which added roughly another five miles to the overall distance she covered.

The devoted mother-of-two tackled the gruelling seafront stroll in aid of the Essex-based Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary which is home to 600 animals.

Gazette:

Founded in 1993 by Fiona and Martin, the safe haven has rescued everything from racehorses and pigs to cows and dogs but could shut down unless funds are found.

Hollie said: “When I saw a video online explaining how they potentially only have two months of financial reserve left I had this feeling in my gut I had to do something.

“I made contact and went to see them - every single choice they make is in the best interest of the animals and their whole life is devoted to caring for them.

“They are truly incredible and something that hit me when I visited the sanctuary was the sense of calm which was overwhelmingly beautiful.

“Me enduring a 25-mile walk is nothing compared to what some animals experience in life so it felt great to be able to help in some way.”

Gazette:

Thanks to her heartbeat-increasing efforts, Hollie has now raised more than £2,100 for the animal sanctuary, which could prove a vital lifeline for its future.

She added: “It felt wonderful to hit the £2,000 target whilst I was walking and to know this amount will directly help the rescued animals at Tower Hill.

“I have been overwhelmed by the support of everyone and ultimately the thought of the animals being in need is what kept me going.

“I look forward to going and seeing all the animals and celebrating hitting the fundraiser target.

“Once again, from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of Fiona, Martin and all the 600 animals at Tower Hill, thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.”

To donate visit gofundme.com/f/save-tower-hill-animal-sanctuary.