A group of six friends are putting on their walking boots to trek the Wiltshire boundary for charity.

The keen walkers, who all know each other from socialising in the Ship Inn in Upavon, will embark on their six-day trip on August 24, starting and ending in Salisbury, to raise money for Help for Heroes and Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

Organiser Dave Cook, 29, who lives in Wilsford, said: “I’ve done a couple of 26-mile walks for Help for Heroes and last year I did a charity wax for Wiltshire Air Ambulance but I couldn’t do that again.

“I wanted to do something different because they’re two worthy causes. Obviously Help for Heroes is a good charity and the air ambulance is a vital service that needs to be in Wiltshire because it saves lives.

“Originally I was going to do it by myself but I asked a friend if he’d like to do it with me and he said ‘yes’, and it all just spiralled from there really.”

Mr Cook and friends Alistair Gammie, Mark Pearce, Terri Gibbs, Susan Hussey and John Riddock will be joined by soldiers from The King’s Royal Hussars, based at Tidworth.

The walkers will go through Mere, Nettleton, Cricklade, Ramsbury and Tidworth and they are keen for others join them on their quest to raise between £5,000 and £6,000.

Mr Cook said: “It’s all about raising money for the two charities – it’s a bit of a personal challenge for me, and it could be a personal challenge for anyone else that joins us.

“It will be good to do it as a group because we can support each other.”

To take part, email wiltshire walk@hotmail.com