AN estimated 4,000 walkers withstood sweltering conditions to complete a challenging ten-mile course through countryside yesterday.

The Great North Walk, which started and finished in Wolsingham, County Durham, provided an ideal opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to take up a healthier lifestyle.

Although the intense heat slowed many of the walkers down, all agreed it had been a great success.

The walk was a major part of the Chance to Live campaign, which is a partnership between The Northern Echo, Wear Valley District Council, Durham Dales Primary Care Trust and Northumbrian Water.

The campaign was launched last year by Darlington MP and former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, who completed the walk with his son, Joe.

He said: "It is important that people have got the opportunity to participate in something like this extremely well-organised event.

"The Chance to Live campaign has been very important in raising the profile of exercise, fitness and leading a healthy lifestyle because that really does make a difference."

Typical of many of the walkers was John Cockburn, 54, from Teesdale, who was among the first finishers.

He said: "I suffered a heart attack eight years ago.

"This is the way I keep fit and I get a lot of pleasure from it.

"I have totally enjoyed this event. It may have been nicer had it been a bit cooler, but let's not condemn the weather because days like this are few and far between."

The walk was being held for the first time in two years, because of foot-and-mouth disease, and gave Weardale the chance to show the region it is bouncing back from the terrible disease.

As thousands enjoyed the freedom of the countryside, it was difficult to imagine what life was like when no one was allowed to roam the fields.

John and Dawn Allen, of Chatterley Farm, Wolsingham, which was about halfway round yesterday's route, have brought their business back to what it was like before the outbreak.

Mr Allen said: "We are about back to normal now, seeing so many people able to walk through Weardale was incredible.

"We lost 300 sheep and 150 cattle in the cull, because neighbouring properties had the disease, so for seven months we were completely out of business.

"But we, like other farmers, have fought back and are determined to get back on our feet after being totally cleaned out.

"Hopefully, now that so many people have seen what Weardale has to offer and that it is okay to get back out there again, they will keep coming back."