A professional cake maker is swapping her mixing bowl for boxing gloves on Saturday as she faces the fight of her life in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Sarah Crump will be entering the ring at Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre as part of an Ultra White Collar Boxing charity event.

White collar boxing originated in New York in 1988 after a doctor and a lawyer trained for a few weeks before boxing each other at a black tie event.

Sarah, who lives in Stevenage and owns We R Cakes in Datchworth, said: “I have been going to the gym for a few months, but felt like I needed a focus to keep me going.

“I saw this event advertised and thought it looked interesting. Before I knew it, I had signed up in a moment of madness.

“I started training privately in January and then have been training for the last eight weeks with the event organisers. There will be 21 fights on the night.”

Sarah has been matched based on weight, fitness, ability and age with an opponent from the group she has trained with to ensure a fair, competitive bout.

About raising money for Cancer Research UK, the 40-year-old said: “I have had a lot of friends and family members affected by cancer, and I think everybody has.

“I’ve lost my nan, aunt, granddad and a couple of friends to cancer, and a friend who is like a sister to me is in remission from stage four cervical cancer.

“Without charities like Cancer Research, she wouldn’t have had the treatment that has helped.”

Next, Sarah plans to turn her attention to raising money for The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation – a charity set up by Naomi Thomas, who has terminal cancer and spends much of her time helping other people with terminal or life-limiting illnesses marry the love of their lives.

Sarah, who has shed six stone since July, intends to take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge in May, and climb Snowdon in June, Scafell Pyke in July and Ben Nevis in August.

To sponsor Sarah for the boxing match, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Sarah-Poole6 or, for the climbs, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Sarah-Poole7.

For tickets to the boxing event, visit www.ultrawhitecollarboxing.co.uk.