A group of intrepid walkers took on a marathon hike in a bid to raise money for charity Louie's Helping Hands.

The walk, hosted by Minnis Bay Lodge, saw 12 set out on a 26-mile trek challenge - with nine finishing quicker than the anticipated eight hours, including the eldest hiker at 73-years-old.

John Matthews, who was master of Minnis Bay Lodge and hands over to his successor on Saturday, said: "Six other walkers, feeling the full circuit was too much for them, joined in at different points along the way, and achieved their own personal targets.

"The weather remained good for the first half and then it deteriorated resulting in an exposed walk on the sea wall from Minnis Bay to Reculver with a very strong head wind."

After the event on Saturday, January 27, the walkers and their friends deservedly tucked into a buffet and enjoyed a social gathering for a few hours chatting about the experience.

Within a week of the walk, sponsorship money, honoured pledges and donations totalled in excess of £4,000.

On the previous Saturday, a party night for the same charity was held in the Birchington Masonic Hall and that, separately, raised around £1,000.

Apart from raising funds, Minnis Bay Lodge hoped to raise awareness of the need for the facility that the charity is striving to create.

Mr Matthews added: "The charity, Louie’s Helping Hands, supports children with multi-sensory, physical and complex medical conditions with weekly sensory therapies.

"It was started by Sara Llewellyn, who was personally effected by the sudden closure of the deaf school in Margate when the trust that financed it failed.

"Immediately, her son and other similarly disabled children were left stranded for the specialist help and education they so desperately needed.

"Sara set up a small school in her own house that could accommodate six children, but they have out grown that small facility.

"When planning permission is granted the school hopes to build a larger school, for up to twenty four children, within Quex Park, a Country Estate in Birchington.

"The estate management has made a piece of ground available for them and helped enormously with the planning applications regarding the infrastructure such as roadways, services, etc. to the school."

The walk and the party night, along with an earlier clay pigeon shoot were all held to raise funds towards the building costs.