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Miss Swindon Rebecca Cole among the walkers

Tears and laughter filled the air on Saturday night as women from all over Wiltshire and beyond walked in the moonlight in memory of those they loved.

Despite a midnight detour for some unfortunate participants, Prospect Hospice's Starlight Memories walk was such a success, organisers are already planning ahead to next year.

Rebecca Jordan, head of fundraising at the hospice, said: "It's just something that seems to have emotionally captured a lot of women in our area."

Some 600 women of all ages set out at 9pm on Saturday carrying red glow sticks and torches, and all with stories to tell.

They reflected on family and friends they had lost and paid tribute to the work of the hospice in making the most difficult times easier to cope with.

Helen Buckley, 27, of St Andrews Ridge, Swindon, felt it was the perfect way, at the stroke of midnight, to mark the birthday of her late mother Liz.

Liz, who died of cancer in July 2006, spent several weeks at the hospice, and was adamant she did not want to die in hospital.

Mrs Buckley said Prospect made sure her mother's wishes were complied with.

Kerry Richings, left, Teresa Soutar, Margaret Bracher, Helen Buckley and Nicola Walters

"I didn't want to go back there - it was too painful, but I wanted to do something," she said.

"This is my time to raise some money and do something good. I hope she would be proud."

It is hoped the walk raised about £50,000.

There were two routes roughly 10 kilometres in distance. One started from Coate Water and the other from Marlborough Rugby Club, with both groups meeting up at Barbary Castle.

There, some people released silver balloons with a message on it for a lost loved one.

The event was not without incident. A gate with a direction arrow on it was left open and led 20 people off course.

Route organiser Paul Maxwell said: The group happened to include our chief executive and the chair of the board of trustees. They rang me and said We seem to be stuck in a field'"

More than 60 volunteers, with help from the Radio Amateurs' Emergency Network, eventually located the lost walkers.

11:57am Monday 12th May 2008

Walkers get under way

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