A DUNFERMLINE woman is piling up the miles this month for a charity close to her heart.

Claire Trythall, 24, has set herself a challenge to walk five miles every day in August for the Huntington's Disease Association (HDA).

It is a poignant feat for the banking technology analyst as she knows she faces her own battle with the disease in the future.

"My grandad on my mum's side had it and my mum has it now and is in a home with it. My auntie also has it and I have it but I don't have the symptoms yet," she explained. "It has been quite worrying for me but there has been quite promising progress with cures. Even though there is not a cure yet, I am sure there may be something in the pipeline. Hopefully there will be something.

"I have been taking part in a couple of research trials. They were taking my DNA and hopefully that will help with the research – that was difficult as they had to take spinal fluids but it was OK, I did it for science.

"With Huntington's, people may look like they are drunk because the speech goes a bit slurred and the balance goes and if you don't know what Huntington's is, you can automatically assume they are drunk so it is important people understand."

Claire, who lives in the St Leonard's area of Dunfermline, moved back to West Fife two years ago after spending the first eight years of her life in North Queensferry before moving to Birmingham.

In completing the challenge – which will see her walk the equivalent distance from Dundee to Newcastle – she wants to raise cash and awareness for the HDA.

"It will be about 150 miles throughout the whole month," she added. "Most days it will mean me waking up at 4.30am so I can get a couple of hours of walking before work.

"I have done a few Munros and things in the past but I broke my ankle in November in four places so I was not able to walk in January and February. I am just back out walking so this is going to be pushing me to the limit.

"On the weekends, I am planning to walk around Dunfermline and at the weekends I will probably try and push it and do some Munros or walk across the bridge."

Anyone wanting to help with Claire's fundraising can visit www.justgiving.com and search 'Claire Trythall'.