A FARNHAM schoolgirl has completed an epic 24-hour tennis marathon, raising an incredible £17,000 for the charity set up by her brother prior to his tragic death from cancer, aged just 10.

Lara Keville, 18, whose brother Robbie died in February just four years after also losing her mum Kate to cancer, played a staggering 407 games of tennis at the Bourne Club between 6pm on Friday, November 11, and 6pm the next day.

She was joined throughout by doubles partner and head coach Andy Warry, while opponents - including ex-Scotland rugby international Thom Evans and double Paralympic gold-medalist Rachel Morris - bid for the chance to face the duo.

Each of the 48 matches played lasted half an hour and remarkably, Lara and Andy lost just three games across the 24 hours, despite Lara suffering a shoulder injury and a virus in the build-up to her challenge.

Proud dad Mark said: “The tennis marathon went incredibly well and the generosity of the Bourne Club and their members in allowing us to stage the event there was amazing.

“To say they played majestically would be an understatement. Lara had been struggling with a shoulder injury in the days leading up to the tournament and thanks to Nicky Pickering, her physio, she was in some sort of shape for the match.

“We iced her shoulder between each match and, as it turned out, the shoulder was the only part of her body not aching the following day.

“She had also been diagnosed with a virus that had laid her low with a temperature two days previous to the event and was confined to bed. In fact she naughtily took part against doctor’s orders.

“Andy was equally heroic. On the morning of the event, he started work on court coaching at 7am - playing more or less all day until the start of the event at 6pm that Friday evening.

“During the 24 hour period, opponents changed every half hour and included double Paralympian gold-medal winner Rachel Morris and ex-Scotland rugby international Thom Evans.

“Rachel had only been on a tennis court twice before but delivered a knock-out forehand on more than one occasion. Thom was revealed to be a demon at the net.”

All donations, which can still be left online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/robbiesrackets, will be donated to robbiesrally - the charity set up by Lara’s brother Robbie to raise funds for the Southampton Hospital Charity.