PENSIONERS Marilyn and Neville Francis have been thanked by their daughter for their vital support for a world-famous trek.

Paula Smith was part of a four-strong team which walked the length of Hadrian’s Wall, a distance of 84 miles.

The group walked from east to west, and received help from Paula’s parents, who drove their backpacks between youth hostels along the way and cooked for them every day.

Marilyn, 77, and Neville, 79, live in Goostrey, and were thanked by their daughter for their indispensable support.

“They are very adventurous, and jumped at the chance of acting as our transport for the event when I asked them,” said Paula.

“As well as taking our luggage between hostels they prepared packed lunches for us and a nice, hearty meal at the end of each day.

“It would have cost a lot of money to hire a minibus, and we couldn’t have done the walk without them – they were absolute rocks.”

Paula, 52, is from Goostrey, and now lives in Bournemouth.

She and Julie Jamrozy founded Fresh Outlooks, an organisation which operates from Bournemouth and provides education, social interaction and activities for adults with learning, physical, mental and complex needs.

The walk was organised to celebrate the third anniversary of the organisation and to raise funds for a sensory room which is being developed.

“My parents were very supportive, and visit me in Bournemouth and help with all the work towards our club,” said Paula, who was joined on the trek, which took six days, by her partner Peter Hibbit, Julie Jamrozy and Julie's son Richard.

The walk is expected to have raised at least £2,000, and anyone who would like to support the organisation can visit its website.

“It was a tough but amazing event, and the scenery was spectacular,” said Paula, who has completed the Three Peaks Challenge and the London Marathon.

Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail is a long-distance footpath which runs through a World Heritage site.

The 84 miles between Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria and Wallsend on Tyneside take in rugged moorland, rolling fields and Carlisle and Newcastle upon Tyne.

“We started at Wallsend and walked along the Tyne into Newcastle, an amazing city, with the old rubbing shoulders with the new,” said Paula.

“Our walk on day two was through some stunning scenery, and the scenery started to change the next day from high cliffs to farmland – it was very beautiful.

“We walked through three counties, and were all worn out at the end of our 84-mile walk and looking forward to a good sleep!”

Fresh Outlooks runs educational and social workshops, a farm project and rambling group, as well as organising events, and for details visit www.freshoutlooks.co.uk.