THE wife of former England rugby coach Brian Ashton is on track to raise more than £6,000 for a small Wiltshire charity that helps children with developmental delays and difficulties, including her grandson Torben.

Helen Ashton, from Lancaster, put her best foot forward to raise funds for Wiltshire Portage when she took part in the 62.5-mile Race to the Stones between Wantage and Avebury.

The 24-hour walk along The Ridgeway began and finished in Avebury at the weekend.

Wiltshire Portage provides a home visiting education service to children from birth to school age with developmental delays and difficulties. The charity receives money from Wiltshire Council but fundraises so it can see as many children as possible.

Mrs Ashton’s twin 18-month-old grandsons, Torben and Atticus, live in Royal Wootton Bassett with her daughter Gabby. Torben receives help from Wiltshire Portage after suffering brain damage at a young age.

Mrs Ashton, 54, said: “Wiltshire Portage worker Jillian Sawyer is doing such an amazing job with him. She is teaching him through play. I am absolutely amazed at how well he is doing. He is such a happy little boy.”

She was hoping to raise enough money to allow the charity to add another two children to its books.The charity has recently taken over the Salisbury Portage service, enabling it to cover all of Wiltshire, excluding Swindon.

Suzanne Wickham, chairman of trustees at Wiltshire Portage, said: “We are extremely grateful to Helen for fundraising for us. She is an inspirational lady, a wonderful support for her family and her very special grandson Torben.”

It is the second long walk she has taken on - although her first, in the Trough of Bowland in Lancaster in March, was called off because of bad weather.

“We were walking up and down fells and the weather just got so awful that the organisers cancelled it after we had walked 36 miles. It seemed like a good idea at the time but the weather overtook everything.

“People who were supporting me were amazing and I didn’t want to let everyone down, so I looked for another walk and found the Race for the Stones,” she said.

If you wish to help Helen raise funds for Wiltshire Portage, her just giving page is www.justgiving.com/fundraising/teamtorben