Commentator Rob Walker's charity challenge for 'absent friends'

Rob Walker (left) lost close friend Martyn Settle (right) in late 2021

A sports commentator is preparing to run and cycle from John O'Groats to Land's End in honour of four friends who died in the past two years.

Olympic broadcaster and snooker announcer Rob Walker, 48, from Gloucestershire, is set to travel more than 1,000 miles from 5 to 23 June.

He has dubbed his challenge The Absent Friends Tour and is raising funds for two charities.

Mr Walker said he set the challenge because "it was time to do something".

During the challenge, he plans to hand out four bottles of champagne every day - one for each friend - so people along the way can toast their lost friends with his.

The commentator lost Robin Thomas to a heart attack at the age of 48 in October 2021, followed by university friend Martyn Settle two months later aged just 45.

Stephen Isles from South Cerney died from a brain tumour

Another of Mr Walker's friend's, Stephen Isles, who had lived with a brain tumour for 10 years, died at the age of 53 in May 2022.

Mr Walker said: "I knew it was coming with Stephen, and I had the privilege of sitting with him on the day he died."

The three deaths in quick succession inspired Mr Walker to raise money for charity.

While he was preparing for his challenge, he learned of the death of one of his son's friends, George Hawkins, who passed away at the age of nine over Christmas last year.

"There was no reason behind it, there was no cause. He had a great day and he went to bed and in the morning he was gone," Mr Walker said.

Mr Walker is inviting those who want to join him along the route to get in touch.

Mr Walker has set up a fundraising page for The Brain Tumour Charity and Jessie May Children's Hospice at Home.

So far, it has raised more than £10,000 towards its target of £25,000, which he said had been "really encouraging".

Mr Walker is inviting those who want to join him along the route to get in touch. Mr Walker is inviting those who want to join him along the route to get in touch.

'Very emotional'

He said: "I'm a little bit nervous because I feel quite a weight of responsibility to get over the finish line and complete the task in honour of the four.

"It will be a very emotional experience for me.

"If I manage to hit the [fundraising] target, I think it will be one of the best things I've ever done.

"I'm not aiming to get there as fast as possible. It's a celebration of the lives of four people who in various ways influenced me."

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