A POOLE man has completed a gruelling challenge to raise cash in memory of his cousin, who died of a brain tumour.

Chris Coe, 44, from Oakdale, was motivated to tackle 375 miles of the South West Coast Path from Land’s End to Poole Harbour, covering 20 miles a day over three weeks.

So far he has raised around £5,700 for Brain Tumour Research.

Waved off by his eight-year-old son, Charlie, and wife, Amy, Chris, a professional events photographer, set out on day one in horizontal driving rain to follow the craggy Cornish coastline.

He described the terrain that day as “ridiculous” and “more akin to rock climbing than walking”.

Chris wasn’t far wrong – by the time he arrived back in Poole he had climbed the equivalent of 34,000ft – 5,000ft more than the height of Mount Everest.

He said: “My morning ritual revolved around applying numerous blister plasters to my feet and then strapping up the most severely-affected toes. By day seven, I decided to abandon my walking boots and continue in sandals with socks – not a cool look, but needs must!

“What kept me going was the reason I put myself through this ordeal in the first place – my wonderful and sorely-missed big cousin Andy.

“He was just 51 when he lost his battle with a brain tumour, leaving behind his wife of 27 years, Lynn, and three children, Ella, Ruby and Harris. It was especially sad that he didn’t succeed in his aim of still being with us to celebrate Ruby’s 18th birthday, which fell just the day after Andy’s funeral.”

Michelle Bowdige, regional fundraising manager at Brain Tumour Research, added: “On behalf of everyone at Brain Tumour Research, thank you to Chris – you are an inspiration to our team and indeed all of our supporters.”

For more information, visit justgiving.com/Chris-Coe1.