Sporting legend Ian Botham has almost completed his latest walk for the Leukaemia Research Fund and is due to finish at Land's End tomorrow.

Yesterday morning at Jamaica Inn, Bolventor, he started walking the final stages of his eighth walk since 1985 for the Fund.

During the eight walks Ian has covered over 3,500 miles and has raised over £3 million. On this occasion he is tackling the 860 miles between John O'Groats and Lands End.

Yesterday he joined the majority of the nation in observing the two minutes silence at 11 am, stopping his walk on the roadside to do so.

Fundraising

This was the first time Ian had stopped while walking since he left John O'Groats on October 11. He was joined at Jamaica Inn at the start of the day by Royal British Legion personnel, including ex Wing Commander Brook Blackford, who is the full time County co-ordinator for welfare and fundraising; Lieutenant Commander Keith Naylor of the Navy who is now the County secretary for the Royal British Legion; Lieutenant Commander Alex Heggie, the president of the Normandy veterans' association and poppy appeal co-ordinator; Eric Boon, the County Parade Marshall for the Royal British Legion from Redruth who was also carrying the Legion standard, and Diane Marrazza from the Cornwall County Women's section of the Legion, carrying the Women's section standard.

Tribute

The Royal British Legion personnel joined Ian and his team for the two minute silence at 11am and remembered those servicemen and women who gave their lives for their country in the two Great Wars.

A cheque was presented to Ian and the Leukaemia Research Fund by Jim and Gillian Purvis from Liskeard who lost their nine-year-old grandaughter to leukaemia last year.

They donated £1375 which they collected during the past year as a tribute to her memory - and to help others with the illness.

A £250 cheque was also presented by the Liskeard and Looe Round Table Association by Chairman, Francis Marshall. Member Ken Gluyas said: 'Liskeard and Looe Round Table tends to try to support children's charities.

The main charity we are supporting this year is 'Childrens Wish' which is for terminally ill children, but this organisation does do a lot for children with the illness.'

Ian said: 'We are aiming to raise as much money as possible. There is no limit and no target. Out of every pound that is raised 95 pence goes to the charity. If people want to send donations there are many ways, including a telephone hot line on 0181 466 4646 and a website on the internet.'

On Saturday, the last day of the walk, Ian will have been walking for 34 days.

He has kept to schedule all the way and will have raised, as usual, a substantial amount of money for the Leukaemia Research Fund.

Ian was joined in Devon, walking from Crediton to Bratton Clovelly earlier this week, by Gary Lineker whose son George successfully recovered from the disease .