A GROUP of friends says they may have raised around £100,000 for a cancer unit with a huge sponsored walk this weekend.

Up to 1,000 people took part in the In the Pink charity walk on Sunday, taking one of two routes through Gwent in aid of Velindre hospital in Cardiff.

It was organised by six Ebbw Vale women who call themselves In the Pink.

The friends, Liz Sullivan, Shan Caron, Brenda Sheppard, Jackie Evason, Carol Hancock and Wendy Cahill, started raising money four years ago after Liz developed breast cancer.

She battled through the disease and vowed to help staff at Velindre who cared for her during her illness.

The first walk from Brecon to Gilwern raised £11,500, and the following year the same walk raised £22,500.

Last year's Pontymoile to Llangattock walk raised a whopping £60,000 but the group think this year's walk could break all records and raise up to £100,000.

Walkers took one of two routes, the 16-mile Brecon to Llangattock walk, or the 20-mile Pontymoile to Llangattock walk.

Wendy Cahill said: "This has been a full-time effort since January for all of us. Every year we put on a brilliant day but this has been the best yet. Once all the money has been counted we think we'll get more than £100,000."

A number of pubs along both routes helped out, providing refreshments and entertainment for the walkers.

Wendy said this year's record-breaking walk could be the last one.

"It's such hard work. This is going to be the last one because it's just too tiring."