Mollie, 87, in her 11th Race For Life

MOST people look forward to putting their feet up and relaxing in their retirement.

Instead, great-grandmother Mollie Whiteoak, from Penicuik, is preparing to run the Edinburgh Race for Life for the 11th time - at the age of 87.

She will take part in the five kilometre event next weekend and hopes to raise more than 100 for Cancer Research UK.

Mrs Whiteoak, a mother-of-three and grandmother-of-five, said: "I first took part in the race in 1997 but I've missed it a couple of times since then because I was on holiday. At the time I said I would do it until I was 80. I know the way round now!

"My husband had cancer, and my mother had cancer so I'm trying to give something back. Last year I did it in 53 minutes but I think I'll probably be a bit slower than that this year - I'm not getting any younger. If I can do it within the hour, I will be happy."

She first took part in the event for personal reasons - her late husband Ernest had suffered from bowel cancer and she lost her 85-year-old mother Maud to cancer of the bladder in 1974.

Mrs Whiteoak started volunteering at the Cancer Research UK shop in Penicuik in 1989 and was recently awarded the organisation's Flame of Hope Award after being nominated by Penicuik shop manager Kathryn Brown for her long service.

She still volunteers at the Midlothian shop three-and-a-half days a week.

Meanwhile, Mrs Brown said Mrs Whiteoak had gone above and beyond the call of duty for more than two decades and that if it wasn't for her, the shop might have closed.

"She is amazing, our stockroom is upstairs and she is up and down every day with bags," Mrs Brown said.

"She is a real one-off. If I could clone her, it would be great. She has managed the shop in between managers and when I took over, she had been running the place. When I started in 2008, we won shop of the year."

Mrs Whiteoak worked as a social worker for 19 years at Wellington School near Penicuik, which teaches boys with challenging behaviour.

Prior to that, she served as a clerk in the RAF and was based in Gloucester, Bombay and Singapore.

She retired in 1985 at the age of 62.

Mrs Whiteoak said her grandchildren and garden helped to keep her fit and healthy.

"It must be something in the genes," she said.

"I'm not really a sit back and look person at all. I am looking forward to doing the Race for Life this year."

Race for Life will take place at Holyrood Park next Sunday.