AN ILKLEY woman has completed a 13 mile British Legion My Poppy Run on the anniversary of her great grandfather's death in 1914 at the start of the First World War.

John William Warner DCM died of his wounds sustained at the first battle of Ypres whilst serving in the Grenadier Guards, and is buried at the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in Boulogne.

His great grand daughter Alison Frost, 49, who works as a Weight Watchers Coach running meetings in Ilkley, Burley in Wharfedale and Adel decided to mark the anniversary on Friday, November 17 by completing a My Poppy Run from Ilkley War Memorial. The route took her up on to Ilkley Moor, taking in two memorials, across to Windgate Nick on Addingham Moorside, down into the valley at Addingham, to the village war memorial and then up to the summit of Beamsley Beacon before returning to Ilkley memorial.

She said: "I live in Ilkley in the beautiful Wharfedale valley where I run on the moors all year round. On these runs I discovered three different war memorials commemorating plane crashes during WW2 on the moors. When I heard about the British Legion My Poppy Run it seemed a great idea to attempt to run between all three. To get across the valley I went through Addingham where there is the village First and Second World War memorial so it was only right to finish at the Ilkley War memorial making five in total and a distance of around 13 miles!"

Alison, who is married with two children who attend Ilkley Grammar School added: "The run took just under three hours but it was never about the time. We stopped at each of the memorials to take some photos and also to lay a poppy at each. It was a beautiful day for a run although ascending Beasley Beacon eight miles in was a little challenging!

"Reading each of the memorials really brought home the sacrifice made by so many to allow us to lead our lives today and it felt very special to be able to commemorate my great grandfather and his sacrifice too with the significance of the date."

To add to Alison's fundraising total visit her Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alison-frost3

Held during the Remembrance period, Poppy Runs are another way for people to remember. Taking place across the country they raise funds for those in need in the Armed Forces community.