'She is very brave and is facing it with such a positive mindset'

FRIENDS RAISE FUNDS FOR POPULAR HEADTEACHER AFTER HEARTBREAKING MOTOR NEURONE DIAGNOSIS

- By SUE KIRBY

A POPULAR Teesside headteacher has been left devastated after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease at the age of just 46.

Claire Park, has stepped away from her role as headteacher at Hartburn Primary School in Stockton after being given the heartbreaking diagnosis.

The mum-of-two's friends and family are now embarking on a 12 hikes in 12 months feat to raise cash for the MND Association, and the total already stands at more than £7,500.

Best friend Gillian Ball, 43, launched the event and since then lots of Claire's family and friends have pledged to join her in the scheme and want to raise both awareness of this terrible illness and also donate to research.

The Ingleby Barwick mum said Claire had been feeling unwell for a year, including falls and dropping things, but was struggling to find out what was wrong.