Northampton widow walks 1,000 miles in memory of husband

Diane Gosling completed her 1,000-mile challenge with a four-mile walk around Kislingbury in Northamptonshire

A widow who decided to walk 1,000 miles in a year to honour her husband of 53 years has completed the challenge.

Diane Gosling, from Duston, Northampton, finished her series of charity walks in memory of Colin Gosling, who died last year, on Sunday.

"On New Year's Eve I told my brothers, 'I am going to walk a thousand miles in Colin's memory', as he is always with me," she said.

She is raising funds for Northampton-based charity The Lewis Foundation.

The challenge started on 1 January and involved short walks in the week and six or seven miles with her daughters, Lorna Stockwell and Helen Whitworth, on Sundays.

Mrs Gosling has had the support of her daughters, Helen Whitworth and Lorna Stockwell

More than 100 people joined Mrs Gosling as she finished

"He loved his family, loved walking, loved the Saints and was just a kind gentle man," Mrs Gosling said.

After losing her husband in September 2020 to multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, she said although her whole family, friends and neighbours were there for her, "it wasn't enough".

"Sitting indoors all day - it just makes you feel worse," she said.

"I don't even know what made me decide to do it. I got up one morning, I had a walk round the village, and that was it. I started walking half a mile, then a mile."

Colin and Diane Gosling were married in June 1967 after meeting on holiday in Cromer aged 15 and 14

Diane and Colin Gosling celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2018

Mrs Gosling was joined by more than 100 people as she completed her 1,000th mile in a four-mile walk around Kislingbury.

She said as she finished, she "burst into tears".

"I carry a wallet with his picture in it and that had to be opened so people could see who they were walking for," she said.

Mr Gosling was a devoted husband, father and grandparent, his family said

She added: "He's done every single mile with me. My daughters have always said he would be so proud, but would also be thinking, what are you doing?"

Asked what she would be doing next, Mrs Gosling said she had "foolishly" told everyone: "Here's to the next 1,000.

"Walking is very, very addictive and I love it now."

Dave Askew, from Northamptonshire Walks - a group Mrs Gosling is part of - said it was an "amazing" achievement.

"It shows how walking, even if it's just a short distance, every day can help with both physical and mental well-being," he said.