A CANCER survivor's “most important journey of her life” is continuing apace - despite a last-minute change to their plans.Jackie Martin, 49, from Reydon, near Southwold, embarked on her seven day walk with two friends Lucy Doy, 22, and Georgette Ward, 32, from Wells in north Norfolk to Reydon on Monday.

A CANCER survivor's “most important journey of her life” is continuing apace - despite a last-minute change to their plans.

Jackie Martin, 49, from Reydon, near Southwold, embarked on her seven day walk with two friends Lucy Doy, 22, and Georgette Ward, 32, from Wells in north Norfolk to Reydon on Monday.

The 80-mile walk has taken a change of direction, however, after Suffolk Police refused to close off a section of the A12 for the 100 walkers who have promised to join the group from Beccles to Reydon.

As the group cannot cross the A12 at Wangford safely, the three women will now return to Reydon a day early, on Friday night instead of Saturday, and then walk an extra 11 miles from the Randolph Hotel, in Reydon, to Southwold, then to Walberswick and back to Reydon to support all the people who have volunteered to support them.

Miss Doy said: “We had to change our plan at the last minute for that part of the walk, where we estimate there will be 100 people. We needed support from the police or we wouldn't have been able to do it.”

The group had to battle against the wind and rain on Tuesday as they walked the second stage of the route, 20 miles from Oulton to Norwich.

“Jackie's Journey” has been described as the most important journey in Jackie Martin's life as for the last for the last 12 years, the mother-of-two, who turns 50 this Sunday , has been battling breast cancer.

To celebrate being given the all clear she decided to do the walk to raise £10,000 for the breast cancer nurses at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston who gave her more than a decade of care.

Anne-Marie Breach, police spokesperson, said: “We give any charity fundraisers advice and then it's up to them to make the decision themselves.”

She said they were unable to close off part of the A12 for the walkers because it is a busy road and it would cause disruption to other motorists.

The three women will leave the Randolph Hotel in Reydon at 9.30am on Saturday for the final leg.

They currently have £4,000 in the bank. If you would like to donate, cheques payable to Jackie's Journey can be sent to Jackie c/ o the Randolph Hotel, Wangford Road, Reydon, IP18 6PZ.

kate.scotter@eadt.co.uk