More than 850 people turned out to enjoy fresh air and countryside while raising money for Farleigh Hospice at the same time during the charity's Walk For Life. 

Participants walked either 23km from the Heybridge Basin or 10.5 miles from Papermill Lock, Little Baddow, along the towpath into Chelmsford. 

Farleigh Hospice’s PR & Marketing Manager, Aimie Bowles, said: "I arrived at the Daisy Meadow Car Park in Heybridge Basin at 7.30am, where our band of merry volunteers were already hard at work and walkers had already started to arrive.

"I had been worried that the weather in the run up to the event would put a lot of people off, but thankfully the sun shone and 60 people signed up on the day to walk – raising their sponsorship money afterwards- so I needn’t have worried.

"Many walkers arrived with their four-legged friends to complete one of the two routes; a longer 23km walk starting at the Daisy Meadow car park in Heybridge Basin, or the shorter 10.5km route which commenced from Paper Mill Lock a little later.

"Both routes finished at the e2v car park in Waterhouse Lane, Chelmsford. The support and commitment from our fabulous supporters astounded me and led to the most amazing atmosphere.

"People were happy to stop and have their pictures taken and share their stories of why they were taking part.

"As people came through the finish line they were in high spirits and looking forward to having a well-deserved ice cream!

"As always, we’ve had quite a lot of activity on our facebook page, with people sharing their wonderful photographs and comments on the day.

"Our fantastic Events Team deserve a massive well done for organising yet another brilliant and successful event.

"The whole team is extremely delighted with the total number of lovely walkers who took part in the day and the amount of sponsorship they have pledged to raise in total, which is testament to the generosity and support of our local community.

“A massive thank you to each and every one of our amazing 858 walkers and all of the generous people who have sponsored their valiant efforts.

"A huge thank you too, to all of the wonderful volunteers who helped us out on the day and to all the lovely local companies (especially M&G Investments who once again kindly supported the Walk for Life, E2V for letting us use their premises for the finish again, Iceni Water, Eat Natural and Essex and Suffolk Water, whose help and generosity makes the day what it is.

"It really is because you all care, that Farleigh Hospice can!”