She ran the Dundee Cancer Research UK 'Race for Life' in 90 minutes and raised an incredible £4500 in memory of her uncle, Anthony Lang, who died a year ago from cancer.

And while she is only tiny – the youngest person ever to complete the race – Sophie was in no doubt about why she was taking part, according to mum Lucy.

The message pinned to the back of her pink T-shirt said it all: "To help the doctors to do an even better job and because we all miss Uncle Anthony."

Lucy explained: "I did wonder if she understood why people were giving her money.

"But when I asked her, she said 'Raising pennies to help the doctors do an even better job for people who are poorly'."

"I realised then that she really did know what was going on.

"My sister Claudia and her husband Anthony had only been married three years when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and he died within four months.

"We all miss him but my sister's been a real trooper. She was at the finish to encourage us in."

Lucy and Sophie's labrador Brackle also went along for the 5K event, with Sophie's friend, Beau Russell (3½) and her mum, Angela, who also took part.

"It was very emotional," said Lucy. "We were the last out of the 4000 participants when we came in and we assumed everyone would have gone home, but they'd all stayed and were all cheering and clapping us.

"Sophie loved doing the walk. When I put her to bed that night she said 'Can we do another one tomorrow morning'?"

As if that wasn't enough of a challenge, Lucy, of Easter Kincaple Farm, discovered her daughter had chicken pox an hour after the finish!

"There had been no sign of spots before the race but she was covered in them when I took her T-shirt off.

"If she could do that with chicken pox, there'll be no stopping her! She's fine now and back at nursery," she said.

Boys aren't allowed on the Race for Life so dad James and Sophie's little brother William, had to watch.

Brackle was an exception to the rule. The only male taking part, he earned special privileges because he wore a pink T-shirt.

There's still time to support Sophie. Her website at
www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lucycuthill is open until the end of July.