Man, 81, in 50-mile walking mission in memory of wife

An 81-year-old man is taking on a 50-mile walking fundraising challenge in memory of his wife.

Alan Jones-Bratt will walk the distance through parks in London and West Midlands over five days in tribute to Mary.

She had asthma throughout her adult life and died from a blood clot on her lungs in January 2023.

“It devastated my year last year and I thought, this year – instead of feeling sorry for myself – let’s do something positive,” he said.

Mr Jones-Bratt, who is visually-impaired due to age-related macular degeneration, said the challenge gave him a sense of purpose after Mary died suddenly on the sofa while resting in his arms.

He will raise money for two charities, Asthma Relief and Thrombosis UK, and said the five 10-mile walks would be a "walk in the park".

Mr Jones-Bratt, of Stafford, is a prolific fundraiser, having organised the first Cannock Chase marathon in 1983, and ran in more than 50 marathons across the country in total – including seven London Marathons.

In 1985, he ran from John O’Groats to Lands End, and has also run the full length of the River Severn.

His fundraising walks will take place between 12 and 17 August, starting with Windsor Great Park and Hyde Park in London.

The next will be in Sutton Park, Dartmouth Park in West Bromwich and Cannock Chase Forest in Staffordshire.

He will begin at 10:30 BST each day and expects them to take no more than five hours each, including a stop for lunch.

He will be accompanied by friends and family and said he would use his white stick to help him get around.

Although he said he had been described as "quite fit" for his age, he has an artificial right hip as well as a metal plate in his left ankle.

“I still put one foot in front of the other, and as long as I can do that I’m ok,” he said.

Asked what Mary would think of his endeavours, he said: “She would think I’m an idiot - she’d be worried about my good health.”

But he added: “She always gave me 100% support in everything I did.

“I’ve got pictures all over my apartment [of my late wife], and I talk to her every day.”

He invited people to support his mission by donating to his JustGiving page.

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]