Ashleigh's mission in dad's memory

The 18-year-old from Poulton suffered the unexpected loss of her dad, Tony Wild, in May.

Tony, 48, was suddenly struck down by sepsis.

Now Ashleigh, a finalist in the Miss Teen GB contest later this year, is planning to take on a daunting challenge in his memory.

She has already organised a fundraising yoga night, she will be taking part in Tough Mudder in September and she will also be throwing herself out of a plane next month.

Sky-diving from 10,000ft on August 16 will be no mean feat for Ashleigh, as she is terrified of heights.

The current Miss Teen Fylde Coast said: “I am absolutely petrified of heights, so it really will be a challenge for me.

“My dad loved sky-diving, so that’s why I chose it. I think he would be really proud.

“I was terrified when I went to Go Ape, so I can’t imagine being at 10,000ft.

“This is really important to me.

“We are still grieving and it’s been a very challenging time.

“I am raising money for the charity, the UK Sepsis Trust, who aim to save lives, and I also hope to raise awareness of sepsis, which is a devastating condition.

“At the time, I wasn’t aware of what the condition was, its symptoms or treatment.

“There isn’t a lot of awareness, a lot of people don’t know about it.

“It can be caused by infection or it can be caused by internal damage.

“It can be hard to spot, especially if it’s internal. It can have symptoms like the common cold.

“In some cases it can be minor, in others it can be really severe and even fatal.

“It’s about taking care and making sure you get treatment.

“With my dad, he literally just felt ill in the morning and within an hour or so, he passed away.

“His body just wasn’t strong enough to fight it.

“It’s really important for people to get treatment as soon as possible.

“As I’m representing the local area in the competition as Miss Teen Fylde Coast, I wanted to use my title as a platform to create as much money and awareness as possible for the UK Sepsis Trust.

“In seven weeks, I’ve already raised £433.

“I held an online raffle for which local businesses donated prizes which was really generous.

“I’ll be doing Tough Mudder on September 10, as well as the skydive.”

To support Ashleigh, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ashleigh-wild

To find out more about sepsis and its symptoms, see www.sepsistrust.org

To contact Ashleigh regarding Miss Teen Fylde Coast appearances, email [email protected]