Botham celebrates 1985 trek with ten-town challenge

SIR Ian Botham completed his latest trek for charity yesterday and immediately vowed to start planning his next walk.

The cricket hero marched through ten towns in ten days to mark the 25th anniversary of his famous John O'Groats to Land's End challenge and raise funds for the charity Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

Arriving at the finish line in London's Hyde Park, Sir Ian said he had no intention of giving up on the walks, if only to "annoy those people who keep saying I'm retiring". The 54-year-old has raised in excess of 10 million since embarking on his trek of the length of Britain in 1985.

As to how it compared to 1985's walk, Sir Ian said: "It has been easier. I have to tell you that I'm trained for this. I went on the wagon for eight weeks."