THEY may be starting a day after the London Marathon but for two grandparents from Alresford their race will be longer and far more meaningful.

Later this month Len and Jenny Kirley will face one of the toughest walks in Britain when they set off from Lands End to John O'Groats in a bid to raise £5,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Their inspiration for the trek is their two-year-old grandchild Erin from Twyford who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, and who has already taken part in a charity event herself by appearing in a calendar for the charity last year.

Len, 60, and Jenny, 58, will start from the Cornish peninsula on Monday, April 24 and have set themselves a target of getting to their final destination by June 21.

On the way they will be passing through dozens of towns and cities, including Bath in Somerset, Kendal in Cumbria, and Glasgow, before hitting the east coast of Scotland and on to John O'Groats.

The retired pair will also be lugging everything they need for their trip on their backs, though they have decided not to completely rough it by staying in B&Bs or with friends along the way.

Len, a former shop-fitter, said: "Neither of us have ever done anything like this before, but we have been training for the past few months and are both pretty active people.

"It's a fantastic opportunity and challenge, and the chance to see the length of Britain is very exciting. But we are doing it for the most important reason in the world - to raise money for the charity that has cared so much for Erin.

"Though we're setting off a day after the London Marathon, for us its our own personal marathon but just a bit more scenic and just a wee bit longer as well!"

The couple has also set up a website so their friends and family can follow their progress, and more importantly make a contribution to their cause.

To find out more visit www.walk4erin.info.