A BRAVE Tillicoultry woman has pledged to walk and run an incredible 1,000km this year in a bid to help families affected by ectopic pregnancies.

Emma Jolly has already on her way to completing the epic task, which will see her rack up around 3-4km a day in 2017.

Her efforts are inspired by her own heart-breaking experience of losing her "little miracle" baby a few years ago.

She had an ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo implants itself outside of the womb, with the condition leaving her fighting for her own life at one point.

Though still tormented by the tragedy, the 36-year-old is hoping to bring some comfort and support to others impacted by the same horror.

Emma and her partner Barry had been trying to fall pregnant for a while, with the couple going through two failed IVF treatments.

But in late 2012, they would embark on an "emotional rollercoaster" from the sweetest highs to the most crushing lows.

Emma said: "Back in November 2012, I found myself holding a positive pregnancy test. I couldn't believe my eyes, so I done another three tests just to make sure."

Though it was confirmed by doctors, she was later told she wasn't pregnant before it was re-confirmed again.

However, Emma later started to feel really unwell and after a few weeks she was given devastating news.

She said: "The next time I went back to the hospital I was told I had miscarried; all there was was an empty sac. I was heart-broken."

However, she continued to look pregnant and in January, she took yet another test which, to her complete shock, came back positive.

Emma said: "By this point, my head was so confused and I didn't know what to think or believe. I went to my doctors straight away and once again he confirmed that I was pregnant.

"Now I was excited; could this nightmare now turn into all my dream coming true? I could hardly sleep that night, I have never felt nerves and excitement like it.

"On January 16, 2013, there was my baby bouncing about and doing backflips as if to say: 'Look, mummy. I'm here'.

"I was in tears. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and neither could anyone else in that room that day.

"The doctor was telling me it was a miracle for God. I was 11 weeks and five days.

"I couldn't wait to tell everyone my news; I wanted to shout it from the roof tops. My little miracle was going nowhere."

Emma, who already has a teenage son, was told she had a "split uterus" and the baby had been hiding all along.

But for all their joy, the experience was to turn tragic one more time as, towards the end of January, Emma collapsed at home.

She was rushed to hospital, having lost massive amounts of blood, with doctors fearing the worst.

Emma said: "I felt like my skin was on fire I shouted for [my son] Liam and then I must have passed out.

"I could hardly breathe; I was so scared I was losing the baby. I was taken to hospital by the ambulance and can't remember anything from there.

"I had had an ectopic pregnancy; my baby had been growing in my tubes all along, and now 12 weeks plus nobody had picked up on this.

"My family were told if there was anyone that should be at the hospital to get them there as soon as possible as there was a very high chance I wasn't going to make it.

"I was bleeding internally and had lost five pints of blood. My husband was in Iraq when he was told and managed to get the first flight home. Not knowing if I had made it or not until he landed.

"Fortunately, I was very very lucky. I believe I had someone looking over me that day.

"Although, I healed physically the mental torture that I went through will never leave me."

Emma's fundraising will last the entire year but she has already managed to raise £1,250 for the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust (EPT).

The condition is the leading cause in of death in early pregnancy and affects one in 80 women.

She said: "I'm so overwhelmed; I have had a great response so far with donations from complete strangers.

"There are a few women around the county doing the 1000km, so I'm not the only one. If I do around 3-4km a day then I'll have it covered."

To help with Emma's mammoth fundraising effort, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/E-Jolly