Man walks county to county in tribute to brother

Jeremy Dutfield walked from Purley Fire Station to a pub near Brighton Pier

A man has walked 40 miles from Surrey to Sussex to raise money for a fire service after it "took him in" following a family trauma.

Jeremy Dutfield, a subcontractor for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), walked from Purley Fire Station to a pub near Brighton Pier, alongside more than a dozen firefighters.

Mr Dutfield arranged the walk to fundraise for the Fire Fighters Charity, which he said had provided "invaluable" support to him.

As well as losing his brother to suicide, both of Mr Dutfield's parents died within the same six-month period. He was also diagnosed with cancer.

Colleagues, friends and family observed a two-minute silence with Jeremy at the half-way point of the walk

Speaking to BBC South East at the end of his walk, which took place on his brother's birthday, Mr Dutfield said: "It just smashed me to pieces. It put me in some very dark places.

"But during my time as a subcontractor, I've been fortunate to be working with and supporting Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.

"They are an amazing bunch of people and I have made the most amazing friends working for the fire service.

"They are just one big family. They've been looking after me. They took me in."

Crew commander Mark Christmas said: "He is always a bundle of joy but underneath that joy there was a lot going on.

"The charity is there to help everybody around us. He's part of our family now."

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At the half-way point of the walk, Mr Dutfield paid tribute to his brother, alongside friends and family, with a two-minute silence.

His sister-in-law Lisa said they had "so many wonderful, happy memories" of his brother.

"All of us, everybody that's here today. We've got some incredible memories and the fun we had with him."