Family hail success of trek despite cancelled match

Tom (left) walked from Kidderminster Harriers to Solihull Moors with other fans

A group of football fans from Worcestershire trekked 32 miles (51.5km) between two stadiums only to find the game had been cancelled.

The walk from Kidderminster Harriers' Aggborough Stadium to Solihull Moors was in aid of Cure Leukaemia.

Eleven-year-old Bella, from Kidderminster, inspired many of those walking after she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in August 2021, her father Tom said.

He and 29 other football fans raised about £14,000 through the walk but poor weather meant the National League fixture between the two Midlands teams was cancelled.

Bella was treated at Birmingham Children's Hospital after her diagnosis and underwent a four-month course of chemotherapy which was not successful, Mr Hudson added.

Her family were able to access a drug from America which shrank a clump of cells on her chest and she underwent a stem cell transplant but it failed.

A doctor at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital then put her on a special clinical trial which, Tom said, successfully treated her condition.

Bella is now in remission and has received her third negative bone marrow result, according to the family.

Bella with her parents Kelly and Tom

Discussing Tuesday's walk, Tom said, despite the game postponement, he "could not be more proud".

"It was really, really tough," he admitted.

"I think the weather just made it so hard because we just seemed to be constantly walking in a foot of mud.

"But it was good - we have a lot of broken bodies when we got there last night but it is all for a great cause."

Tom and his fellow football fans at the finish line in Solihull

"I looked around the room and I could not be more proud of everyone who did it," Tom added.

Bella recorded a thank you video for everyone involved, he said.

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