A GUTSY fundraiser walked the New York City Marathon wearing a bra bearing the flags of the UK and USA in aid of a breast cancer charity.

Elizabeth Gibson, of Cotman Avenue, Lawford, raised £1,000 for Walk the Walk and said the experience was a “dream come true”.

The 57-year-old accountant has been a long-term supporter of Walk the Walk and has completed 12 Moonwalks in London, Edinburgh and Iceland.

Mrs Gibson travelled to the Big Apple with a Walk the Walk team of 12 to take on the city’s marathon, joining 50,000 other participants.

She was cheered on by crowds of more than 2 million along the route.

She said: “Walk the Walk has many participants of differing shapes, sizes and abilities.

“We are all united in the one goal of beating breast cancer.

“I was pushing myself to my limit for the last three miles but I thought of the friends who had suffered from breast cancer, most were survivors, but one school friend didn’t make it and died whilst both her children were at junior school.

“That shouldn’t happen and if I could raise funds by digging deep, then I would.

She added the atmosphere was electric and everyone was very nice and supportive.

“The crowds loved our bras and we were waving Union flags the whole way, everybody wanted to take a picture with us.

“The spectators were calling out messages of support like ‘we love you Brits’ and ‘God save the Queen’ and there were lots of encouraging signs as ‘Good luck random stranger’.”

Elizabeth said at the beginning she thought it would be her first and last New York marathon, but she would definitely do it again.

She said: “It is a very challenging course, but the camaraderie was amazing.

“If you are looking for an extra challenge with a bit of sparkle and glam, then this is the one.

“I found fundraising wasn’t too difficult, people were interested in the event and wanted to support the cause. At the end of the day, that’s why we do it, yes, it is fun, but let’s defeat breast cancer once and for all.”

More than £133 million has been raised by Walk the Walk since 1996.

As a grant making charity it has funded both research into breast cancer and helped improve the lives of those living with cancer now.

The charity is best known for its famous Moon Walks, when fundraisers take on marathon challenges in London, Edinburgh and Iceland at midnight wearing brightly decorated bras.