A MUM who took on an ambitious training regime to compete in an intensive boxing challenge has emerged as champion.

Veterinary nurse Aimee Hefferman trained for eight weeks, and claimed the illustrious trophy at the final boxing match.

She also managed to fundraise £800 for Cancer Research UK – beating her £500 goal.

At the final match at Hatherley Manor, a 17th-Century country house near Cheltenham, Aimee came up against one of the other women in her training group, Kerry-Anne McNair.

30-year-old Aimee said: “It was really hard work and Kerry-Anne put up a great fight.

“The match was three two-minute rounds which doesn’t seem long, but it is really hard work to keep going solidly for two minutes when you are so hot and out of breath.

“What also helped was the huge amount of supporters I had there on the night.

“I could hear the crowd were shouting my name.

“It was an amazing evening and has been the best thing I have ever done.

“I learnt that I can keep going through the pain and even when it got really hard, I never gave up.

“My motto is, 'it’s not worth it if it doesn’t hurt.'

The happy winner has thanked her two-year-old son Herbie and husband Jeremy for being so supportive and putting up with her eight week training regime, which occupied most of her evenings and weekends.

“I could not have done it without their help,” said Aimee, who works part-time at the Clockhouse Veterinary Hospital.

Aimee now hopes to give kick boxing a go, a sport she has always wanted to try out.