Netherton pensioner Susan Kirby completes coast to coast walk

May 29 2009 By Anne-Marie Senior

A NETHERTON pensioner has celebrated her 60th birthday by completing the challenge of a lifetime.

Two hip replacements couldn’t deter Susan Kirby from achieving her 197-mile coast to coast dream.

The retired health visitor made it her mission to take up the gruelling trek following the death of her father seven years ago.

She tackled up to 15 miles a day – often with the help of painkillers – to complete a route from St Bees in Cumbria, through the Lake District, Pennines, North Yorkshire Moors to Robin Hood’s Bay, near Whitby.

Her efforts burned her 1,200 calories a day and raised more than £2,000 for three charities.

The mum-of-three said: “It is just an uplifting experience.

“It is euphoria, achieving something I have always wanted to do because it is very easy to let things slip by.

“The money I have raised is also a compliment to those who have supported me. The response of people who have made donations has been amazing.”

Her achievement is even more momentous because Susan was born with a hip problem forcing her to undergo surgery in her 50s.