AN ANIMAL lover who had to put her dream of becoming a vet on hold after falling ill with a debilitating disease, is being helped to get vital qualifications by a school friend.

Will Mansfield, 23, will cycle to Bournemouth to raise £1,000 towards Hannah Halford’s tuition fees.

Miss Halford, of Warren View in Little Milton, has a life-long dream of becoming a vet, but missed out on a place at veterinary school because of poor exam results.

She missed two years at Wheatley Park School, Holton, Oxford, because of her battle with ME.

And she was dealt a further blow this year with the unexpected death of her mother.

Mr Mansfield, from Divinity Road, East Oxford, will tackle the challenge in a day, leaving at 6am on September 18, and hoping to reach the South Coast by sundown.

He said: “I know she has been dealt a lot of bad hands. I do not have the same desire as she does to really do something, but I really respect her for it.

“She will definitely make a good vet. She is a very kind, happy, loving person.

“I do not think there is a question of her not succeeding, even if it takes her a while. She has that kind of determination, and that is why I am going to do everything I can to help her.”

Miss Halford, 23, has to raise £120,000 to fund the five-year course at the world renowned Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, which has offered her a place.

She is also applying to national animal charities, trusts, and organisations for funding.

Miss Halford said of her illness: “For a lot of the time I was bed-ridden so I missed the time to settle in and make friends.

“It had an impact all the way through school. After coming back, I definitely saw an improvement but having missed all that time really affected me.”

She became even more motivated following the sudden death of her mother.

Fran Halford, 49, suffered a brain haemorrhage in April and died within hours.

Miss Halford said: “Having something happen so suddenly made me realise how precious life is.

“You cannot waste time – you have to go for it.”

“I have wanted to be a vet for as long as I can remember; I have never thought of doing anything else.

“It is not just about my interest in animals, it is science, and involves helping people.”

Miss Halford graduated from Liverpool University with a first class degree in Zoology.

She is working as a research assistant at Oxford University and has helped out as a volunteer at Abingdon Animal Hospital for eight years.