RETIRED cardiothoracic surgeon Andrew Thorpe has completed a mammoth walk from John o’ Groats to Land’s End - climbing 20 summits on the way.

Andrew, 69, from Horsforth - who underwent a triple bypass 13 years ago - has raised more than £5,000 for the British Heart Foundation.

He also hopes to have raised awareness of what can be achieved after major heart surgery.

Andrew’s fund raising epic came after a distinguished career which saw him assist Sir Terrence English with the first successful heart transplant in the UK in 1979. He also carried out the first heart transplant in Sheffield a decade later when he was a consultant there.

Looking back to the beginnings of the pioneering surgery he said: “It was quite scary really because it was all very new. It was at the time when there were issues with brain death. There were a lot of arguments about whether you should do transplantation.”

He needed heart surgery himself in his mid-fifties despite a healthy lifestyle.

“I was in the gym on the cross trainer and I got a little bit of pain in my back,” he said.

Because of his own training he had the symptom checked out and was undergoing surgery within a week.

“I had a 90 per cent narrowing in one of my arteries - known as the widow maker - and could have dropped down dead at any moment,” he said.

He stressed the importance of not dismissing subtle symptoms - such as heartburn or tiredness - which can be signs of a major problem.

“The only symptoms I had were a bit of tiredness and a pain in the back,” he said.

He also warned against the temptation for patients to wrap themselves in cotton wool after heart surgery. He carried on as normal - going on to climb Kilimanjaro about six months after his operation.

During his 72-day trek along the length of Britain - climbing its highest peaks along the way - the only ill effects he suffered were twisted ankles,

“It has been a worthwhile trip,” he said. “It hurts a bit at times but you have just got to plod on.

“My legs got quite tired but the rest of me was fine really. Mentally it could be quite draining - that urge to lie in bed in the morning was very strong.”

But any pain was offset by the stunning scenery along the way and the kindness of the people he met on the road - including many who had undergone cardiac investigations or procedures - and camp site staff who let him stay for free.

“I think the highs were meeting people who had had similar experiences,” he said. “And how nice people were and how generous people were in terms of donations.”

Andrew set off on his challenge on April 3 and arrived in Lands Ends on June 15 - in time to see his wife Vicky and their 17-year-old twin sons Thomas and Edward for Father’s Day.

Anyone who wants to donate to his appeal should visit his just giving page.