Walkers limber up for 50-mile charity bid across the downs (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Walkers limber up for 50-mile charity bid across the downs

Ailsa Hayes, Keith, Elizabeth and Andrew James at the start 17108/1MORE than 100 walkers stepped out from St Francis School in Pewsey to help raise funds for research into multiple sclerosis.

They were taking part in the third annual Wiltshire Bigfoot walk organised by the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The society held its first ever Bigfoot event an idea borrowed from the USA in Wiltshire two years ago.

Last year it introduced a second walk in Cheshire and this year added a third venue in Sussex.

However, the Wiltshire event remains one of the most popular and last Friday 105 walkers set off on the start of a three-day 50-mile walk.

Unlike most sponsored walks, Bigfoot is held over three days and at night all the campers gather in a tented village.

Marlborough College hosted the Bigfoot camp on its playing fields in Bath Road.

The walkers were put through warm-up exercises before they set off on the first 15.5-mile leg of the three-day walk.

Normally the North Wiltshire MP James Gray, who is a patron of the Chippenham MS Society branch, takes part.

This year, however, he was sidelined after injuring a knee in a fall on a Cornish clifftop path.

Walkers came from all over the country to take part.

MS sufferer Christine Elms from Maidstone in Kent was in her wheelchair to watch her son Robert and three friends begin the walk.

The four pals, all from the Maidstone area, were sponsored for a total of more than £3,000. Each of the walkers had be sponsored for a minimum of £400.

It was the second year in succession that Alison Bailey, 61, from Upper Minety had taken part in the walk.

Last year Mrs Bailey walked with her daughter and raised £1,000. This time she was accompanied by friend Nicola Barron, also from Upper Minety, and they were sponsored for about £1,000.

The walkers included Andy Salter who was walking in all three Bigfoot events this year.

Mr Salter has been the Bigfoot training and fitness expert this year and led all the walkers in exercises at the start of each day.

Friday's 15.5-mile walk took the Bigfooters on a tough route starting along the Kennet and Avon Canal at Pewsey and then climbing up through Wootton Rivers and into Savernake Forest.

On Saturday the walkers covered more than 22 miles on a route taking them from their overnight camp at Marlborough up over the downs and passing through East Kennett and joining the Wansdyke path.

They then headed back through West Woods.

The final leg on Sunday crossed the downs to the west of Marlborough and ended 12 miles later in Avebury.