Man completes White Horse Trail in wife's memory

A man has conquered Wiltshire's famous White Horse Trail in memory of his wife - stopping at each of the eight horses to play tennis.

Mark Butler, from Pewsey, took on the 95 miles (152km) hike after his wife Jo Kehoe Butler died from cancer in May.

The white horses are famous landmarks cut into the chalk hillside at various times between 1742 and the start of the 21st century.

Mr Butler, who hiked with fellow Pewsey tennis club member Mike Hutchinson, said he has "blisters on both" his feet and his "legs are aching like crazy" after finishing on Monday.

Taking five days to complete, the pair raised £5,000 for Prospect Hospice, in Wroughton, which took care of Mrs Butler before her death.

The route took them through Pewsey, Marlborough, Broad Town, Cherhill, Devizes, Steeple Ashton, and Bratton.

Mr Butler and Mr Hutchinson were welcomed back to their clubhouse by a "guard of  honour" of members holding tennis rackets overhead.

Mr Butler said: "It's been a great week. We started on Wednesday in the rain, it looked a long way ahead of us.

"Just incredible to have it finished and such a good donation for this great cause."

Mr and Mrs Butler, who moved to Pewsey three years ago from London, had been together for 37 years and "had a very happy marriage for all that time", he previously told the BBC.

Mr Butler said he wanted to thank Prospect Hospice for the care she received at home in the weeks leading up to her death.

“The amazing care Jo got from the Prospect nursing team enabled her to remain at home - which was her dearest wish - and to be surrounded by the love of friends and family," he said.

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