Botham's walk for leukaemia research

London, Oct 10: Former England cricketer Ian Botham will embark on his 900-mile walk tomorrow (Monday) from John O'Groats to Land's End to raise funds for the Leukaemia Research Fund.

He is expected to complete the journey in 34 days, his eighth and the last walk for raising funds for the charity.

Botham, who walks at an average speed of 4.5 miles per hour and hopes to cover a distance equal to a marathon each day last walked from Liverpool to Yeovil in September 1994.

He has raised around 3.3 million sterling pounds and has walked a total of 3.850 miles for the charity since he first walked in 1985.

The organisation of the walk has been masterminded by Botham's wife Kathy and a team of friends and relations and he will be supported en route by friends, celebrities and other LRF fundraisers. Botham's commitment to leukaemia research goes back many years to when he met some child sufferers and learned some would die