A TILLICOULTRY woman who pledged to walk, run and bike 1000km in support of families affected by ectopic pregnancies has received thousands in donations.

Emma Jolly has raised a staggering £6000 for charity so far – 12 times more than her initial target.

She has been overwhelmed by the kindness people have shown and is "over the moon" to have reached the milestone.

The Clacks mum said: "I can't believe how generous people have been.

"I just updated my status the other day saying I was £40 off my target and when I woke up in the morning my target was hit."

When she began her challenge for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust (EPT) earlier this year, Emma didn't anticipate the response or money she would raise.

She added: "I never imagined – when I first set out to do it my target was only £500 and that was smashed in a matter of hours.

"Everybody, the whole community, has really, really got behind me and I can't thank everybody enough for doing that for me."

Emma, who is still accepting donations, is nearing the finish line and has around 250km left to do, which she hopes to complete by the end of the year.

Her fundraising drive has been inspired by her own heart-breaking experiencing of losing a baby a few years ago.

She suffered an ectopic pregnancy – where the embryo implants itself outside of the womb – and was left fighting for her own life at one point.

Still tormented by the tragedy, Emma hopes to bring some comfort and support to others impacted by the same horror.

Along with raising money for the EPT, she has also been highlighting her story in a bid to make more women aware of the condition and symptoms.

Her message has been reaching far and wide, with one lady from Canada even getting in touch.

And Emma was part of a group of around 30 that visited The Kelpies, which were lit up pink and blue, to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week.

Her efforts have been recognised by the trust, which supports those who have experienced an early pregnancy complication and the health care professionals who care for them.

An ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause in of death in early pregnancy and affects one in 80 women.

Munira Oza, director at the EPT, said: "Emma is a true inspiration.

"She has taken the devastating trauma that she has endured and used it to raise awareness and potentially save the lives of other women who are experiencing the same thing.

"Her fundraising dedication is also phenomenal and will make a huge impact in ensuring that we are able to continue to support women and their families through the physical and emotional ordeal of losing a baby through ectopic pregnancy.

"We are immensely grateful for all she is doing and wish her luck with the rest of her challenge."

For more information on the charity, visit ectopic.org.uk

To donate to Emma's challenge, head to her page.