Schoolgirl Dannielle Storr is in training for her second Race for Life in June and aims to be one of the highest “earners” in honour of her beloved grandad.

Dannielle, 16, from Chalgrove, promised Kenneth Storr, who was suffering from cancer, she would complete the fundraising event in his memory.

Mr Storr died of cancer in 2004, before he could see his granddaughter take part.

But last year, the GCSE student was one of the first off the block in the Oxford Race for Life and also one of the highest earners — raising £1,367 in sponsorship.

This year she will again tackle the 5km race and wants to raise even more cash for research into cancer.

She said: “Last year, taking part for the first time was fabulous.

“Like a lot of the women I wore a picture of the loved one I had lost to cancer — my grandad — on my Race for Life T-shirt.

“It was a very emotional day. Everyone does it for their own reasons, but there is also a fabulous atmosphere and I was lucky enough to find myself right near to the start, so I got off to a great start.

“I was thrilled to raise as much money as I did and this year I hope to raise even more thanks to all my friends at Icknield College, my family, our local pub, The Carrier’s Arms in Watlington and my dad’s workplace, Woodcrafts of Oxford.

“I am training hard and looking forward to getting another competitors medal. It’s a great event and such a good cause and I know my grandad would be very proud of me.”

Last year, 8,342 women took part in Oxfordshire’s Race for Life events raising £528,552 in sponsorship — which went to helps the scientists, doctors and nurses working to find new treatments at the Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre and John Radcliffe hospitals in Oxford.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Dannielle can contact her at dannistorr.1992@hotmail.co.uk The Oxford Mail would like to hear from other women taking part in this year’s Race for Life. Email the address below.

dwaite@oxfordmail.co.uk