A NORTON woman who is taking on the challenge of her life in memory of her father organised an unusual fundraiser at the weekend.

Jill Boak, 43, is taking part in the Best Western Hotels & Macmillan Ride of their Lives – a charity horse race at York Racecourse, in tribute to her dad, former jockey, Mark Birch, who died of lung cancer in October 2016, aged 67.

To help raise funds towards the challenge, Jill and fellow rider Jeremy Corkell pulled an equiciser for seven miles around Malton and Norton on Saturday.

The pull, with ‘Percy’ the equiciser on board a trailer, began at Brian Ellison’s yard, taking in various venues around the two towns and finishing over eight hours later.

Jill said: “Ride of their Lives will be a fitting tribute to my dad, who was seven times top Northern Jockey. York was dad’s favourite turf and my aim is to raise £10 for every race he won - a target of £13,390 for Macmillan Cancer Support.”

“We raised £806.06 on Saturday by pulling the equiciser with a ‘jockey’ on board with a team of five volunteers collecting. It was a house to house collection, but we had cars pulling over to give us money.”

Jeremy, 50, from Sinnington, who has worked in racing for 33 years, said: “Jill came up with the idea with the equiciser, I think I was hoping the route would be more like 500 yards than seven miles but that wasn’t to be, but it all helps with our training. “

Ride of their Lives sees members of the public completing six months of training before racing thoroughbred horses at York Racecourse on Saturday, June 16. For further information, visit macmillan.org.uk/charityraceday.

Find Jill’s fundraising page at justgiving.com/fundraising/jill-boak and Jeremy’s at justgiving.com/fundraising/jeremy-corkell2.