TWO Herefordshire women will be taking on the toughest non-stop kayak race in the world in a bid to raise funds for vital hospital services.

Friends Kate Thompson and Jemma Willis will be taking on the 125 mile Devizes to Westminster kayak race this weekend.

They will be kayaking alongside professional kayakers through day and night to finish at Westminster Bridge on Easter Sunday.

The pair have been hard at work training for the race, battling through whatever the weather has thrown at them over the last few months to hone their kayaking skills.

They took on the challenge to raise funds towards a new brain scanner for Birmingham Children's Hospital, where the incredible team saved Jemma's son Finn's life by removing a brain tumour that was causing him seizures.

"We want to raise money to give back to Birmingham children's Hospital, to help other children who need their expertise and their help.

"But we also want to tell other parents who may be sitting in a children's hospital right now, at their lowest and wondering how they're going to get through it, that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

"With the magic from the Birmingham Children's Hospital, you can get through it to lead more adventures."

You can make a donation to Kate Thompson and Jemma Willis' Just Giving page here.

To track the pair's progress on the day, visit http://dwrace.co.uk/