PLANNERS at Stroud District Council will be taking part in a 10km race next month to raise awareness of the dangers of nut allergies.

Five members of the council's planning and regeneration departments will run the Westonbirt House Christmas 10km race on December 10 to raise funds for the Amy May Trust.

The trust was set up for Amy May Shead, a talented ITV producer with a severe nut allergy who was left with a severe brain injury after a meal in Budapest in 2014 she was assured was nut-free caused a catastrophic anaphylaxis reaction.

Over the last three years Amy has progressed slowly, from being in a coma at hospital, via a neurological rehabilitation hospital, to a specialist care facility in Essex.

Her next move will be to live with her parents, who are in the process of adapting a new home.

The run has an extra meaning for two of the participants, Sara Chardin is the cousin of Amy while Emma Blomfield was recently diagnosed with a nut allergy.

"We're quite a small family so we are all very close," she said. "What happened to Amy was shocking for all of us so I wanted to do what I could to support her recovery.

"I've seen first-hand the benefits she's getting from physiotherapy and her therapy sessions funded by the Amy May Trust and am looking forward to making my contribution."

Due to the restaurant in Budapest not holding public liability insurance, and travel insurance not covering her lifelong condition, Amy has received no compensation for what happened.

The trust has been set up to fund sessions such as speech and language therapy and physiotherapy for Amy.

The team, Sara Chardin, Emma Blomfield, Helen Johnstone, Laura Stephen and Pippa Stroud are appealing to anyone who would like to support the trust.

Donations can be made at https://events.amymaytrust.com/events/westonbirt-10k-run/