A RETIRED jockey is to embark on a 24-hour carriage drive to help buy a prosthetic limb for a teenage cancer survivor.

Alan Coe wants to help raise around the £80,000 needed for the prosthetic leg, which will improve 16-year-old Olivia Coughlan’s life.

Olivia, who lives with her dad, Paul, mum Debbie and brother Jordan, in Witham Road, Black Notley, decided to allow doctors to amputate her left leg in November, along with part of her pelvis, after she was diagnosed with a cancerous bone tumour.

The horse-riding fan underwent an intensive 30-week course of chemotherapy, but was forced into the drastic surgery after the course failed to shrink the tumour. She is now cancer-free.

Family friend and farrier Mr Coe, who specialises in horse hoof care and runs his own commercial carriage driving business, Layer Marney Horsedrawn Carriages, has shod Olivia’s family’s horses for 12 years.

He was touched by her strength and determination and wanted to complete a challenge to raise funds.

In May, the 39-year-old retired amateur jockey will drive six horses more than 100 miles nonstop from the Hare and Hounds pub, in Layer Breton, to Fakenham Racecourse, in Norfolk.

He said: “Olivia came out for a carriage drive and she was so grateful and was just so inspirational about how she was dealing with the cancer that I wanted to give something back to help her out.

“I have been involved in horses all my life, so I wanted to do a challenge with them.

“I have done a 100-mile carriage ride before, but never nonstop.

I am going to use six horses in 20-mile shifts, so they can have a break.

“It will be like driving for 24 hours, so I will need something to keep my eyes open at the end of it. I am really looking forward to it and I have had so much support.”

Mr Coe, from Birch, has already raised more than £2,500.

The drive, which will be started by Bob Champion, winner of the 1981 Grand National, will end at the winning post of the racecourse after Mr Coe drives up the final furlong of the course.

Friends of Mr Coe will be providing moral support to him on the ride, which will go via the villages of Fordham, Leavenheath, Lavenham, Thurston, East Harling, Scoulton, Shipdham, and Longham.

The route will mainly keep to village roads.

A race will be named after Olivia and she will present the winners on the day.

Olivia, who is back at Notley High School studying four GCSEs, was recently visited by singer Pixie Lott at her home as a special surprise.

You can donate at justgiving.com/livvysraceday