A GROUP of intrepid walkers scaling 950m-high mountains and taking 412,000 steps across the breadth of northern England have done it all in the name of recruiting foster carers.

An 11-day odyssey was organised by a team of four core walkers who were joined on their journey by delegates from the North-East as they travelled a 192-mile Coast to Coast route.

The trek took them from St Bees, on the Cumbrian coast, through the Lake District, into the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors to Robin Hood’s Bay.

The gruelling hike was organised in a bid to raising the awareness of the need to find more foster carers to look after children in need in Darlington, Stockton, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Hartlepool.

Around £3,000 was raised as part of a sponsored leg of the Coast to Coast walk from Clay Bank, in the North York Moors, near Stokesley, to the Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge, ten miles deeper into the National Park.

Brian Foulger, from Middlesbrough Council’s family placement team and walk organiser, said: “In many ways. the Coast to Coast walk symbolised the journey a child takes when they enter foster care.

“There are always challenges and difficulties along the way, but you’re never on your own and there are always people there to offer help and support.

“We wanted to spread the word about the difference fostering can make for all involved, and I we will have encouraged more people to come forward and find out more.

“The walk was a fantastic experience, and I’m grateful to all those who took part and to everyone who has supported us along the way.”

Foster carers across the five boroughs in Teesside and Darlington apply to offer help through their borough councils and may care for a child in an emergency, at weekends or on a short-term basis for a few months.

The majority of children being fostered in the Tees Valley return to their birth families, however some teenagers are given longer-term care until they can live independently.

Families and individuals “from all walks of life” are encouraged by the Tees Valley Fostering service to apply to their borough council to become a foster carer.

Children and foster carers came out in force to support the epic walk alongside Team Middlesbrough – made up of Middlesbrough Council’s chief executive, Tony Parkinson, Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, Barry Coppinger, and director of Middlesbrough’s children’s services, Alison Brown.

Mr Parkinson said: “Our foster carers do an amazing job that makes a huge difference to the lives of countless children.

“It was a pleasure to join to the walkers along part of the route and I hope it will help to encourage new people to come forward and give their time and dedication to help care for some of our most vulnerable children.”

The walkers were sponsored by Colby Newham Tesco, Everyone Active, Askham Bryan College, Persimmon Homes and the GMB for their mammoth charity effort.

Those interested in fostering in Darlington, Stockton, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland or Hartlepool can visit teesvalleyfostering.com or text “Tees” and their postcode to 66777.