A GROUP of six friends, all staff at Takeley Primary School, walked the walk at the weekend to raise funds for breast cancer research. Charlie Chamberlain (teacher), Tracy Rayner (bursar), Jackie Elwood (special needs co-ordinator), Audra Williams (secret

A GROUP of six friends, all staff at Takeley Primary School, walked the walk at the weekend to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Charlie Chamberlain (teacher), Tracy Rayner (bursar), Jackie Elwood (special needs co-ordinator), Audra Williams (secretary) and Ruth Studd and Kirsten Widdowson (learning support assistants) joined 20,000 other women and men taking part in the Playtex MoonWalk through London.

Walk the Walk - uniting against breast cancer, is a charity close to the school groups' hearts.

In the last 18 months, Audra Williams and another teacher, Jayne Collins, have been diagnosed with the disease. Jayne was treated successfully and is now back teaching again.

Audra was diagnosed in August and, after a successful lumpectomy and chemotherapy, her prognosis is excellent.

She said: "Because Jayne and I have both suffered from breast cancer, we thought it was the right time to give something back.

"Collectively, we also thought it was important to raise some awareness in the village and the school."

The Playtex MoonWalk started at midnight in Hyde Park and stretched for 26.2 miles through London and back to Hyde Park.

The school group - who called themselves Takeley Tortoises - completed the course in eight-and-a-half hours, and have so far raised over �2000.

"It was very hard work but a nice thing to do together. We giggled a lot of the way around!" said Mrs Williams.