AFTER years of saving money, a Chippenham woman will be living her dream when she embarks on a five-month walk to raise £10,000 for two canine charities.

On Sunday, Trish Adams, 40, will be setting off on her adventure from John O'Groats in Scotland and making her way to Land's End in Cornwall.

After saving up for five years, Miss Adams, who lives in a caravan on land at Kellaways near Chippenham, said she will be doing what she has always wanted - supporting and helping dogs.

She said: "I want to stress that I have saved hard to support myself on this walk and all the money I raise will go to two dog charities, the Dogs Trust and the Oldies' Club.

"I want to raise around £10,000 and I already have £450 and I haven't even taken a step yet."

Miss Adams, who has kept dogs all her life, will be sad to leave her 14-year-old border collie Ben behind, but friends will be taking him up to join her on certain parts of the walk.

She said: "He is a bit too old to do something like this and walk for 12 miles everyday.

"But my friend Padi, who will be coming out to join me at times over the five months is going to bring him along with her dog Paris so I will still see him."

The dog lover has trained for the walk by hitting the gym and doing some walking in her spare time.

After living in a caravan for the past 13 years, she said she is prepared to camp along her walk, but she has been offered places to stay along the way.

"I will be taking a backpacking kit with me," she said. "I am nervous but I am also very excited."

Miss Adams is hoping her experience will enable her to write a book about her travels.

She is inviting people involved in the dog world to join her for parts of the walk so she can learn about their experiences with dogs and include them in the book.

In addition she is also keen to meet people who train dogs for the blind and the police.

While on the walk she is hoping to stop off at Dogs Trust centres along the way and help out whenever she can.

She said: "This is going to be my year. This walk is something I have wanted to do for ages and I am finally doing what I really want."

Anyone interested in walking with Miss Adams, or sponsoring her, can visit www.trishstrudge 4dogs.co.uk