A FUNDRAISING campaign in honour of tragic young mum Zoe Milton has topped £40,000.

Zoe, from Horwich, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in December last year, less than 12 months after giving birth to son Charlie.

The 28-year-old, who worked at Bolton Magistrates Court, was a keen horse rider.

And after hearing about her story, Jane Walker, from Active Rider, offered to raise funds to care for Zoe’s horse Romeo.

But Zoe was so grateful for the care she was receiving that she asked for Bolton Hospice to benefit instead.

Fundraising started in August, before Zoe’s death, and the total reached £10,000 as word spread about the campaign on Facebook.

After her death, the total quickly doubled, and now organisers believe they can reach £50,000.

The fund currently stands at more than £40,000 with just under two weeks to go before fundraising stops.

Ms Walker says she has been “crying buckets” at the stories and generosity of more than 1,000 people who have donated via the Just Giving website.

She said: “It’s been going crackers. It has surprised me but it just shows that when it’s a good cause, people respond. It was all about seizing the moment. It would be criminal not to.

Ms Walker said the progress of the appeal was being followed closely at Bolton Hospice.

She said: “They say it has created a buzz about the place. All the staff and patients are talking about it.”

The final event will be a dressage day in Zoe’s memory at Abram Hall Ring Club, near Wigan, where Zoe used to ride, on October 26.

And dozens of celebrities and organisations from the horse-riding community and beyond have donated auction prizes including a chance to ride an Olympic medal-winning horse, a private lesson with eventing champion Andrew Nicholson and spending the day with eventer Phoebe Buckley.

To bid for one of the items, visit the Active Rider Facebook page. To offer goods for the auction, contact Ms Walker on 07736 872307 or to donate go to justgiving.com/activeriderUK.