The village walkers whose beginning is their end

Stephen Thompson (left) and Andrew Wilding are walking from Haddenham to Haddenham

Walkers from a village called Haddenham have taken the first steps in a 90-mile tramp to a village called... Haddenham.

Villagers from Haddenham in Cambridgeshire are aiming to raise thousands of pounds by walking to Haddenham in Buckinghamshire.

They are raising money for a local library and a children's charity.

Two villagers began the walk on Monday, with more to join along the way.

Villagers are walking between two villages with the same name to raise money

Stephen Thompson, chairman of Haddenham Parish Council in Cambridgeshire, was looking for ways of raising money and hit on the idea after learning of a similar trek 24 years ago.

He explained how in 2000, a group walked from Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, to Haddenham in Cambridgeshire.

Mr Thompson, 51, walked 20 miles towards Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, on Monday with Andrew Wilding, 34.

He said more people, including a nine-year-old boy, would join the trek, which is due to end in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, on Saturday.

'Band of chalk'

Mr Thompson said walkers were following a route called the Old Chalk Way.

"This is a national cycle path that runs from The Wash up in Norfolk to the Jurassic Coast down in Dorset," Mr Thompson, who is originally from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, said.

"It follows the band of chalk that runs across the country."

He said walkers would trek towards Royston, Hertfordshire, around Luton, then reach Haddenham.

Mr Thompson said money raised would be donated to the library in Haddenham, Cambridgeshire and to the charity Holly's Active Stars.