Woman takes on rally in memory of her mother

The driver in the only all-female rally team competing in a Manx event in aid of a breast cancer support group has said it was a way of remembering her mother who died of the disease.

Louise Thomas and co-driver Roz Dawson are among 150 teams taking on the Manx Rally, which sees competitors complete 120 miles (193km) over 18 stages.

Ms Thomas is aiming to raise £1,000 for local charity Breast Cancer Support Group after losing her "best friend" before surviving the condition herself four years ago.

She said the weekend was a way of combining rallying, a passion she gained from her father, with honouring her mother's memory.

Christine Thomas was diagnoses with cancer in 2001 at the age of 49 and died six years later, and it was 14 years after that that Ms Thomas was also diagnosed with breast cancer.

But she said she had been "extremely lucky" as her tumour had been detected "very early".

She said: "Losing my mum changed my life hugely, I was very lucky to have a mum that I called my best friend", she said.

That experience, along while her own treatment, on the island, had inspired her to raise funds for the local support group, she said.

Ms Thomas moved to the island from the Isle of Mull, where she had worked as a palliative care nurse, 18 months ago after competing in the Manx Rally for eight years.

She originally rook up the sport in 2000 as a co-driver, moving into the driving seat seven years later.

At this year's event, the mini Girls Rally Team will be competing in a 1994 Classic Mini, which was given to her by her father Dave Thomas, who had also used it to rally himself.

She raising the money was a way of saying thank you to the charity, and raising awareness that there was a "fantastic" breast cancer support service on the island.

As a survivor of the disease Ms Thomas said she wanted to show that she was "out here living my life doing something crazy".

Taking part in rallying had become a passion because of the "adrenaline, the speed and the comradery".

"I am not the quickest, but the aim for me is to get to the end and have as much fun as we can", she said.

The Manx Rally begins at the Grand Stand in Douglas at 11:00 and runs until Saturday afternoon.

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