A LONG-serving sports presenter is starting his charity march across the country in the North East.

Starting in the North East, television legend Jeff Stelling will be marching across the country for Prostate Cancer UK for a fourth time later this summer, inspired by the loss of a close friend and a football hero to the disease – and he wants 400 football fans to join him.

The long-serving Sky Sports presenter has raised more than £1m for the leading men’s health charity walking across the UK in 2016, 2017 and 2019 – and returns in August and September to support Prostate Cancer UK in their quest to help stop prostate cancer being a killer.

This year he will be taking on four walking marathons in four regions, starting on Monday, August 30 with a route from Newcastle United, to rivals Sunderland. He will also take in Durham Cricket Club en route.

Mr Stelling then heads to Yorkshire on August 31, before marching through Merseyside on Wednesday, September 1. His March for Men finishes up in London on Saturday, September 4 by which time he would have walked 100 miles in a week.

His aim is to fund lifesaving research to improve testing, treatments and care for those affected by the most common cancer in men.

Mr Stelling said: “Covid has had a horrific impact on lives across the UK, but prostate cancer has not gone away. In fact it’s now more important than ever that we support men and their loved ones.

 “One in eight men in the UK will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. I deal in stats, but that one still shocks me. This is our Dads, partners, brothers, grandads, uncles and friends.

“That’s why I wear the Prostate Cancer UK ‘Man of Men’ badge. That’s why we’ve marched across the UK three times, helping raise more than £1m for crucial research to beat prostate cancer. And that’s why I’d love you to join me this summer. As ever we’ll visit some iconic clubs and I’m hoping a few familiar faces will join me along the way.”

More than 1,200 football fans and supporters have joined in the past as he marched from Hartlepool to Wembley in 2016, Mr Stelling’s visited 89 football clubs and walked 750 miles.

Anyone who wants to sign up to take part now at prostatecanceruk.org/jeffsmarch