A girl has cycled the length of the Kennet and Avon canal in memory of her aunt who died of early onset dementia aged just 49.

Ellie Barker, nine, was so determined to finish the trip that even when she fell into the river she vowed to get back on her bike and complete the 95 mile trip.

Ellie, who lives in Shalbourne and goes to Great Bedwyn Primary School, has raised a massive £1,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK in a bid to improve research into the disease which effects around 850,000 people in the UK.

Mum Susie said: “She actually fell in the canal while out cycling. I thought, ‘she’s going to stop this now’, because she was cold and frightened. Luckily, the canal runs quite close to our house, so I went down and picked her up, got her bathed and changed, and I said, ‘what do you want to do now love?’

“She replied: ‘I think we’re running a bit behind time now, Mummy, so we better get back to it.’ She was an absolute star and just blew us all away.”

Her fundraising efforts come after her aunt Lisa Barker suffered from Alzheimer’s and died aged 49. Ms Barker first began to show symptoms of dementia in her thirties and although doctors were initially sceptical due to her age, she was diagnosed with the degenerative illness.

Kenneth Foreman, senior sporting events manager for Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We are so impressed at Ellie’s resolve in taking on this challenge and raising vital funds for dementia research in honour of her aunt.”