A DYNAMIC Dudley councillor has completed yet another gruelling challenge to help raise money for borough charities.

St Thomas's ward councillor Steve Waltho completed the Lyke Wake Walk across the Yorkshire Moors in just over 19 hours to raise £250 each for Dudley's Action Heart, Dudley Cancer Support and the West Midlands Lupus Group.

The intrepid councillor who lives in Wordsley was accompanied on the 40-mile trek from Osmotherley to Ravenscar by his equally adventurous son James - but the 16-year-old had to pull out at the 25-mile point after succumbing to muscle strain and blisters.

Steve said: "Following my 50th birthday Coast to Coast walk last year James asked what we were going to do this year and was very keen when I mentioned the Lyke Wake.

"However I immediately regretted it since I hadn't done much training and knew it was a very tough physical and mental challenge since the rules stipulate it must be completed within 24 hours so the average walker must endure walking a section in the dark."

The pair set off at 1.15am and, after James's retirement 12 hours into the challenge, Steve finally crossed the finish line at 8.30pm.

He added: "James was gutted he had to retire. I felt very lucky to feel in reasonable enough shape to carry on and hobbled to the finish on blistered feet very tired in semi-darkness at 8.30pm to ensure our chosen charities benefit."

As well as walking 190-miles across from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood Bay in Yorkshire last year to mark his 50th birthday, Steve has over the last few years completed a series of gutsy fundraisers in aid of Dudley charities including 100-mile walk across Scotland's West Highland Way, his own mini triathlon, Dudley's 26-mile borough trail and has cycled through all 24 of Dudley's electoral wards.

Anyone keen to boost Steve's sponsorship can contact him on 07703 308463.