Group turn the Midnight Walk into their own St Patrick’s Day parade for Michelle

A group of 42, mostly girls calling themselves Miles for Michelle, did the 10k walk dressed in green as a tribute to her Irish heritage.

Mum Margaret and daughters Kathy, Bernie, Caroline and Monica led the way as part of their fundraising campaign which is set to raise more than £16,000 for St Ann’s.

Michelle, from Mosley Common, only spent two days as a patient at the Little Hulton hospice before she died in February, aged 35, just two months after she was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

But she was so well looked after by the hospice that friends and family want to give something back to St Ann’s.

Older sister Kathy said: “Our family felt like she was at home when she went to the hospice. They took our sadness away and it was such a relief. She was the celebrity of our family and St Ann’s cared for her like she was one of theirs too.

“Michelle loved her Irish dancing and was so proud of our family’s Irish roots, so we thought we’d give her own St Patrick’s Day Parade. She was extremely successful and set up her own business and always wanted to give something back.”