A Shipley woman who survived a life-threatening brain haemorrhage and was told she would never walk again is to climb Ben Nevis in memory of her late father.

Tracy Marsh suffered a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage - a leakage of blood into the subarachnoid space which normally does not contain blood - followed by a massive stroke which caused her to lose feeling in her left side and caused a lung to collapse. About a third of patients die immediately as a result of the haemorrhage.

Now the determined 33-year-old mother, who had her skull pinned back together after a 12-hour life-saving operation in December 2000, has learned to walk again. And on July 6 she will be climbing the 4,409ft Scottish mountain to raise cash for Cancer Research UK as a tribute to her father Melvyn Marsh who died aged 65 of lung cancer in November 2001. She will be escorted by her daughter Tanya Birkett, 14, a pupil at Beckfoot School, Bingley, and a group of friends.

"My dad was my lifeline and he really helped me and supported me after the operation and the stroke," said Tracy, of Yew Tree Close. "I'm afraid of heights and can't even climb a step-ladder so it will be a huge challenge.

Tracy was rushed to Bradford Royal Infirmary after passing out complaining of a sore throat and headache. Initially doctors thought she had suspected meningitis. But a brain scan revealed the haemorrhage which had been slowly bleeding for about two weeks before bursting. She was transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where she was operated on and spent four days in the high-dependency unit before suffering the stroke and being moved to intensive care.

"I'm so lucky I've got myself back on my feet," said Tracy, who works as a shelf-stacker at Baildon's Co-op store.

Tracy, who has a permanent headache in the right side of her head where her skull was pinned, will have to wear a brace on her left leg for the climb as she has lost all feeling. "I'm always bruising my leg as I can't feel a thing. I have to wear the brace because I could go over on my ankle and break a bone and wouldn't know about it," she said."

Mum Patricia Marsh, 65, said she was extremely proud of her daughter. "I could have lost her but she's so determined and I'm sure she'll complete the walk," she said.

Councillor Phil Thornton (Lab, Shipley East) helped Tracy organise the event and write to companies for support. "She's been through so much, she's an inspiration to others," he said.

To sponsor Tracy, telephone (01274) 595227.