TWICE a month 79-year-old Sheila Duffton dons her walking boots and heads out on walks of up to six miles.

Now the kind-hearted Lindley pensioner is putting her best foot first for the Examiner’s Charity Challenge to mark her forthcoming 80th birthday.

And she is hoping to get 80 people to sponsor her on the charity seven mile hike – one for every year of her life.

Sheila said: “I first did the Examiner Charity Challenge when I was 63 and I did it for three years. It wasn’t really a great effort then for me to walk seven miles.

“When I was 70 I did a walk again and someone said to me ‘you better make sure you’re back again when you’re 80’ so I will do it again.

“And because I’ll be 80 this year I want to get 80 sponsors for every year of my life.”

She will be raising money for the West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust children’s hospice appeal.

She added: “I’m quite an active person, I go out walking maybe twice a month.

“Thankfully I won’t have to keep up with anybody and can have a sit down if I want to.

“I’ve been walking for over 40 years – I like going out and about and getting some fresh air and see the beauty of the countryside.”

She first took part in the Examiner Charity Challenge in the early 90s, raising money for a cancer charity and Huddersfield Heartline.

The former auxiliary nurse at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary has been a member of the United Reformed Church for about 50 years.

In preparation, she will be taking part in a walk on Good Friday with the church up to Farnley Tyas and onto Castle Hill for a service.

She will also enjoy a walking holiday to Wales with walks up to six miles long.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the Charity Challenge.

The 2009 event takes place on Sunday, May 17. For more information visit www.examiner.co.uk or call into the Examiner office on Queen Street South for an application form.