SMILING Angie Booty is a real inspiration.Angie, who has Downs Syndrome, swapped her riding boots for walking shoes and braved freezing cold temperatures to raise an amazing £902.

SMILING Angie Booty is a real inspiration.

Angie, who has Downs Syndrome, swapped her riding boots for walking shoes and braved freezing cold temperatures to raise an amazing £902.40 for charity.

She walked up to ten miles in aid of The Shelley Centre for Therapeutic Riding, formerly Hadleigh Riding for the Disabled, which costs over £40,000 a year to run.

The centre lost money on riding fees last year when it was forced to close for four months because the foot and mouth crisis. It reopened again in June last year.

So Angie decided to step in – literally – and supported by Millennium Commission's project enabler Julie Sullivan walked part of the Wiltshire White Horse trail.

Val Cadman, from the centre, was delighted with Angie's achievement. "Since June last year she was training with the help of Julie to give back something that riding for the disabled has done for her.

"This was a huge thing for her to have done. We are incredibly grateful to her as this is an enormous amount for her to raise.

"We want to say a big thank you to so many people who supported her. It was a great big thing for her to do and took tremendous courage."

Angie, who has been riding a quarter of a century, decided to make the centre's mark during February's hike.

As a special touch she put a horseshoe from the centre on each of the two white horses on the trail.

The trail attracts people from all over the country. Angie's feat was all the more incredible as some people didn't do the walk at all because of the bad weather conditions.

"She walked nine to ten miles," said Val, chairwoman and organiser at the purpose built centre. "She did what they planned. It was jolly tough. The weather was appalling. We are very proud of her.

"She was so thrilled. It gave her a great sense of pride."

The RDA centre, a registered charity, is looking for helpers. Interested parties are invited to call Ipswich 824172.

If you would like to make a donation send cheques or cash to The Shelley Centre for Therapeutic Riding, Lower Layham Road, Shelley, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP7 5QY.