A family’s continued fundraising drive in memory of a Bury St Edmunds woman has raised more than £50,000 for a hospice based in the town.

The family of Zena Butcher, who died aged 37 in 2005 after a six-year battle with a malignant brain tumour, launched their Zena 10 fundraising campaign in June 2015.

Initially the group, led by Zena’s daughter Connie Gibbs, her partner Darren Gibbs and sisters Tracey Butcher and Mandy Smart, wanted to raise £10,000 in four months to mark the 10th anniversary of her death.

The family wanted to raise money for the hospice following the support they received during Zena’s cancer battle.

Less than three years after Zena 10 was launched, the total raised stands at £50,200.

Connie, 19, said the campaign is her mother’s legacy.

“It is just incredible,” she said.

“Really, I have no words to describe how it feels to have raised this much. It has been a proper family achievement and I am just so pleased that we have been able to achieve this. It is mum’s legacy.

“When we first started our fundraising we wanted to raise £10,000 in four months, that was our target and we were all focused on it. We had 36 events planned in that time and everyone was determined.”

The team were pushed over the £50,000 mark earlier this month after Tracey’s son Byron Gross completed the Brighton Marathon on Sunday, April 16, with his efforts raising £1,300 to date.

“We hit the £50,000 almost at the same time Byron was crossing the finish line and that was really special,” added Connie.

The group are determined to carry on with their fundraising, they will be donning their bunny ears and taking part in the sponsored walk Girls Night Out, and they have their annual ball booked for October, which is arranged to coincide with Zena’s birthday.

Tracey said: “The support we have had from the whole community has been fantastic. Family, friends, everyone. It has been a real team effort, which is just what we are – team Zena 10.”

Some of the money raised has been used to fund Nicky’s Way, the hospice’s children and young people’s bereavement programme, which helped Connie and Darren after Zena died.