A WINCHESTER woman is to be ‘locked up’ for the night to raise awareness of a charity that helps discharged prisoners from reoffending.

Sarah Chester, 66, will spend the night in HMP Portland, in Dorset, in hopes of raising £10,000 for Footprints, of which she is a patron.

“It’s going to be a long night!” she said.

“I have been involved with ex-prisoners for 18 years. A lot of people are there [in prison] because they didn’t have a hope in hells chance at the beginning of their life and never had anybody listen to them. It's about mentoring them.”

Over £5,000 has already been donated.

The St Cross resident, and regular church-goer at St Lawrence, will be locked up from 1pm on Thursday, November 20, until 8am on Friday, November 21, alongside other fundraisers.

To donate go to mydonate.bt.com/events/portlandlockin.