Award winning fitness model Zoey Wright, who fought back after being diagnosed with an incurable wasting disease over five years ago, has become patron of K9 Crusaders and will be embarking on a fundraising spin-a-thon in Penryn this week.

Zoey, who works at the Penryn Campus Sports Centre, will be joined by three friends on Friday who aim to spin for 40 hours between them to raise money for the dog rehoming charity. "Were going to have some sore bums that's for sure, but in comparison to what the volunteers do day in, day out, come rain or shine for the dogs spinning for then hours seems easy," said Zoey.

The four will be at the sports centre between 7am and 5pm and are encouraging people to pop by to cheer them on and make a donation. There will also be a charity raffle. For anyone who can't make it to the campus, donations can be made online at totalgiving.co.uk/MYpage/zoey.

In 2012 Zoey was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease and an incurable condition, which saw her in and out of hospital for two years. She then had life-saving ileostomy surgery in 2014 and now wears an ostomy bag.

Despite her health challenges, Zoey became a fitness model and was crowned Overall World Champion for the largest growing fitness modelling federation in the UK, Pure Elite, and in January she won a nationwide competition to become the next face of leading sports nutrition brand, USN.

She has now become a patron of Bissoe-based K9 Crusaders, an independent dog rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming charity that has been helping Cornish dogs since 2002.

"We have anything up to 50 dogs in our care at any one time and are under constant pressure to assist the community with the phone persistently ringing with people desperate for our help," said the charity's Hilary Merton.

"However, we are totally reliant on donations and our own fund-raising. The kennel's basic running costs are approximately £4,000 every month, before any veterinary bills. It is a mammoth task to raise this amount of funds, but for the benefit of the many dogs in our care now and for the constant waiting list of dogs in need, we must succeed."