A 10-year-old horse riding enthusiast from Hale is to undertake a five mile sponsored walk in the hope of raising funds for the sanctuary where she volunteers.

Hasty Lane Horse and Pony Sanctuary, in Hale Barns, recently incurred a £500 vets bill after one of the ponies it cares for contracted laminitis, an illness which causes acute pain in a horse's hooves.

The sanctuary, which currently cares for six other horses, relies on donations and faces constant financial pressures, so volunteer Mia Siddall decided to take action.

The Hale Prep pupil will undertake her walk on August 31, beginning at the Dunham Park Visitor Centre, making her way around the park, the canal and Little Bollington, before finishing back at the park.

Mia has already raised £105 for the sanctuary and hopes more people will donate to the cause after she has completed the walk.

Senior volunteer, Sophie Wood, said Mia has been a great help since she started volunteering at Hasty Lane in July and explained that the money she raises will also help a pony called Spirit.

"Spirit was just literally dumped in a field in Wilmslow," said Sophie.

"It was reported to us in May and we've been trying to rescue him ever since.

"He's so traumatised that he won't leave the field and he's scared of humans.

"We've been going up every day with food because he was half starved and had been severely neglected. We think he may have been abused."

Sophie said Spirit is looking a lot healthier and is doing much better physically since a professional behaviourist was drafted into help.

But the volunteer said donations are always needed at the sanctuary.

To sponsor Mia, visit gogetfunding.com/project/mia-s-walk-for-hasty-lane-pony-sanctuary-1.

To learn more about the sanctuary visit its Facebook page at facebook.com/hastylaneponysanctuary.