IT was a case of all for one and one for all as four friends collectively called ‘The Must Get Beers’ successfully completed the 127.5-mile Leeds-Liverpool Canal walk for charity.

The four, three of whom are local were joined by an Aldershot friend to walk the length of the famous canal from the Liverpool end over six days after the Bank Holiday for Marie Curie.

Organiser Chris Scully, 42, from Eccleshill, said: “My grandmother, Laura Scully, was cared for in the Marie Curie hospice around ten years ago and since she died I have helped raise money for them through a number of events, most usually themed fancy dress parties.

“I had an idea to step it up a bit and do something a bit more energetic and my two friends, James McLaren, who also lives in Eccleshill, and Lee McCormark, from Woodside, agreed to do a sponsored walk with me. Lee’s friend, Darryl Jelly, who has become a good friend of ours and is now an honorary Must Get Beer, said he would come along too.

“We are not particularly athletic, with the exception perhaps of Darryl who is quite a bit younger, and called ourselves ‘very amateur’ walkers but were keen to have a go. We did some training walks in the Peak District to get some miles in our legs but were surprised to find how hard-going the terrain actually was along the canal. It was more suited to mountain bikers than walkers in parts and I really don’t think we did enough training. Unfortunately we lost James after three days to a bad knee injury and he had to retire to the support vehicle. “He did go to hospital after we got back to have it checked and is on the mend now.

“It was a grueller and on the second day we were nursing blisters and sore feet but we supported each other and it was great to get back knowing we’d achieved it.

“We have raised almost £2,800 on our Just Giving page - www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mustgetbeers2016 which will be open until the end of September. We also held another event on the Saturday after we got back through a London Underground-themed fancy dress at Malik House, in Manor Row, using local caterers and businesses from the independent quarter.

“We raised £1,200 on the evening so will be able to give around £4,000 to Marie Curie, at the end of the month.”