Singer Ronan Keating hit the right note with a Clacton teenager when she travelled to Ireland for a charity cancer walk.

The Irish singer has been raising cancer awareness and boosting funds for the Marie Keating Foundation by doing a 357 mile walk from the Giant's Causeway, Antrim, to Old Head Kinsale.

Ronan's mum Marie died of cancer in 1998, and his family set up the charity in her name.

Lauren Burfoot, 18, of Ferndale Close, Clacton, said she was honoured to take part in the challenge.

But there was another reason Lauren wanted to be involved in the walk.

Three years ago the mum of one of her friends died of breast cancer.

And in 2001 Lauren's best friend Simon Copeman also died.

"I just want to do anything I can to help. I was doing this in Simon's memory."

Lauren went to Belfast with her mum Diane.

She was one of a team of volunteers who collected donations where Ronan walked.

"We got to meet him after. He looked very tired," she said.

But she added: "Ronan was so nice. He kept talking to us."

Ronan completed the 23-day walk and so far 110,000 euros has been raised just under £80,000

Published Wednesday, June 11, 2003

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