A SELF-CONFESSED shopping addict who blew thousands of pounds after her mumdied is cutting herself off to raise cash for charity.

Holly Wadsworth-Hill, from Langdon Hills, normally forks out half her wages every month on clothes, shoes and accessories, but won’t be spending another penny until January 2015.

What started as a way to console herself after her mum, Kaye Goulden, died in December 2012 aged just 48, quickly escalated.

Over the past two years, the 31- year-old has spend thousands of pounds on Mulberry bags and Karen Millen dresses and she even blew hundreds of pounds in bargain shops like Primark.

She said: “My mum was poorly for a long time with liver sclerosis.

A week before she died she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. She was dying from the alcohol she was drinking anyway, but to hear she had cancer too was just horrible.

“When she died I was a mess – in bed and crying all the time.

“One day I went shopping to try and cheer myself up. I was walking around for ages and then I bought something and it just made me feel good. Before I knew it, I was a shopping addict.”

Holly has now vowed to give up her spending and donate the cash she saves inmemory of her mum.

She said: “I would think nothing of spending £80 in Primark. It almost felt like I was spending nothing because it was Primark.

“And of course I loved my Mulberry handbags and wouldn’t think twice about blowing £150 on a Karen Millen dress. I didn’t need any of it.

“It was almost like ‘my mum has died, I deserve a treat’.”

Holly has so far raised £1,000 for Cancer Research, Alcohol Concern and the Wisdom Hospice, which looked after her mum for the last week of her life.

She said: “I was a bit stuck about what to do. I’m rubbish at running and I’d thrown myself out of a plane five months after she died.

“I wanted to do something positive and all my friends asked me what I would find a challenge. So I cut out shopping. All my friends said I couldn’t do it, and it is tough, but I’m sticking to it.”

Holly took photos of her clothes prior to the challenge so, if she is asked by her husband and friends about her apparel, she can prove she already owned it. Although she is allowed to buy make up and underwear, it can only be when she desperately needs it.

Holly said: “Sometimes I think it’s a bit ridiculous and pathetic what I’m doing compared to people running marathons.

“But it’s raising money so it can’t be a bad thing.”

To sponsor Holly, go to h t t p : / / t i n y u r l . c o m / h o l l y wadsworthhill