AN EPIC 83-day ‘walk of madness’ from Land’s End to John O’Groats for charity has been accomplished by Pompey fan Mark Harris.

The intrepid owner of Haslemere’s GU27 beauty salon set himself the herculean challenge to raise £10,000 to be shared between UK Cancer Research and Macmillan Cancer Support, having lost friends and family to the “horrendous” disease.

He set out at the end of May and calculated having achieved his goal, at John O’Groats, on August 15, he had walked 1,130 miles, climbed the equivalent of 81,742 feet – almost three times the height of Mount Everest – and taken more than two million steps – all in the same pair of boots.

Mark, who lives in Grayshott, filmed around 170 video clips recording his many ‘out of the way’ experiences during the marathon, which he hopes will make an entertaining TV documentary togother with his blog.

“I feel totally elated to have done it,” he told The Herald. “The first month I thought can I do this, but it all came together in the last few weeks.

“My achilles went in one bit, but I had recovered the next day. I definitely had an angel on my shoulder.

“It was hard work. I carried my camping stuff and my rucksack weighed 44lbs. The first two months were baking hot with the temperature in the 30s and my walking pole was sticking to the Tarmac.

“People were fantastic supporting me along the way. I think I know every cow in the country and am convinced one sheep followed me.”

The trek did mean Mark missed his beloved Pompey’s first home and away games of the season. But after four wins out of four, his team sit proudly at the top of Division One this week.

Mark’s final ‘push’ is to reach his £10,000 target and wants as many people as possible to text donations before the deadline on Saturday, August 25. Text walk10 to 70515. Donations can also be made at: www.go fundme.com/markswalkofmadness