WELLWISHERS raising money for Tracy Ralph grabbed their trainers for a fundraising fitness class.

Tracy Ralph, 34, from Hawkwell, was rushed into hospital on Christmas Eve with pneumonia.

She was then placed in an induced coma at St Thomas’s Hospital, in London, and found to have a combination of meningitis, septicaemia, blood clots, bleeding on the brain and complete organ failure.

Tracy, mum to young sons Hudson and Miller, had to have both legs amputated below the knees and also had her fingers removed.

Now more than £120,000 has been raised by friends, family and strangers to pay for Tracy’s rehabilitation.

Fifty people took part in an Insanity fitness class run by Jon Brown, from RG3 Fitness, at King Edmund School, in Rochford, and raised £640 for the cause.

Tracy’s sister-in-lawAmanda Ralph, 41, from Canewdon, said: “It was for a great cause and I used muscles I didn’t even know I had.

“So many people turned up, it was amazing and the response from everyone has been incredible.

“The fact people volunteered to do this class and paid to do it as well is crazy, because I feel physically sick.

“It’s the first time I’ve done it and the last, but it’s all for a good cause. Some of my friends know Jon who ran the class, so a massive thanks to them. It went on to Facebook and like everything else we’ve been doing, the place was packed out “I never thought it would get this big. I’d like to thank SDH printers in Hockley and EasyPrint GB, who did our T-shirts.”

Tracy is now out of intensive care and in a ward at Southend Hospital and her family hope she will begin rehabilitation soon.

Amanda said: “She doesn’t have any of the life support machines anymore and is able to talk. The boys have been into see her too.

“There is still a long way to go, but she’s doing really well and has fought back so hard with massive strength.

“I think Tracy is a bit embarrassed by all the attention, she is a very private person and has been humbled by all of this. She is incredibly grateful to everyone for what they have done.

“She’s gone through a traumatic experience. She will get there, but it’s going to be a long journey.”

More fundraising events are being planned. For more details, visit youcaring.com/ medical-fundraiser/help-tracyget- back-on-her-feet/293454