Loren Price joined members of her family as they completed the four-mile walk in aid of the National Association for Colitis and Crohn's Disease.

The condition causes inflammation of the stomach and small intestine with typical symptoms of pain, ulcers and diarrhoea.

Loren (23) has been forced to sit out the walk along the River Thames for the previous three years her mum and dad and other relatives have taken part.

But she was determined to join them on the starting line this time. Her mother, Karen Price (54), of Carlton Avenue, said: "We all love doing the walk and Loren was very excited to be able to complete it.

"She is a very positive person. She loves dancing and she now takes dance classes at the Arena sports centre on Saturdays. Her ambition is to get fit and do dancing all the time."

Loren has recently begun working part-time at a jewellery shop in Chichester as a sign of her determination to put Crohn's in its place. But, as well as Loren, the other star of the walk was the family's pet boxer. Two-and-a-half-year-old Eric had a close-up encounter with Fame Academy judge Carrie Grant. A Crohn's disease sufferer, she started the walk with her husband David and autographed a special jacket which he wore for the occasion.

Mrs Price said: "I made a special jacket which said 'Eric is walking for Crohn's'."

The family and friends raised about £700 from the two-hour walk.