MARK Byford has raised thousands of pounds for the Samaritans striding out on a double marathon-length walk.

He only decided the week before to walk the Clarendon Way from Winchester to Salisbury and the Test Way from St Mary Bourne to Romsey within 48 hours.

His wife, Hilary is a volunteer and trainer with Samaritans and his best friend from primary school took his life earlier this year.

Mark decided on the spur of a moment to walk the double marathon-length treks to raise money for the Winchester branch of Samaritans and thereby honour the memory of his pal.

By the time he’d completed the back to back walks within two days, more than a hundred people had pledged donations and he’d raised more than £8,000.

Mark, former deputy director general of the BBC, said: “I set myself what I thought was a really ambitious target of raising £2,000 but the fantastic response by so many exceeded all my expectations.”