Three hundred walkers lined the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath on Saturday as part of Forever Friends Appeal’s Walk of Life.

They set off from Devizes Wharf at 9am, with many walkers completing the 21 miles to Bath, while others chose to walk 12 miles from Devizes to Bradford on Avon, or nine miles in the afternoon from Bradford on Avon to Sydney Gardens in Bath.

Walkers signed up from across the region to raise money for the new cancer centre at Royal United Hospital in Bath and hope to beat last year’s fundraising figure of £38,000.

The Walk of Life was created with and in memory of Vanessa Kyte from Rudge, near Frome who lost her life in November 2007 having lived with cancer for seven years.

Vanessa Kyte’s sister, Nicola Noble from Warminster, has continued with Vanessa’s fundraising drive and opened the walk, now in its eight year, before walking the whole 21-miles to Bath.

Vanessa’s mother Diane Young volunteered at Dundas Aqueduct, one of the many refreshment stops en-route.

Emily Lynch, events and community officer for The Forever Friends Appeal, said: “We had amazing weather, and there were no casualties, only a few blisters.

"Everyone really enjoyed it and the walkers were so positive. The day went so smoothly.

“Everyone had their own personal reasons for walking and had their own stories to tell. It is a really social event and people were really supporting each other.

“We couldn’t have done it without all our supporters and volunteers. The walk is just going to grow next year.”

Kier Construction, which is working in partnership with the RUH to redevelop the hospital site, sponsored the event and staff were involved with walking and marshalling along the route.

They even hired a canal boat decorated with Walk of Life banners and cheered on the walkers from the canal.