FAMILY members put their best feet forward on Sunday to walk from Northwich to the Christie Hospital at Manchester.

Alan Dean, his wife Joan, cousin Dave Ryder and grand-daughter Gemma Backhouse took on the challenge to support the breast cancer care unit at the hospital.

The sponsored walk was intended as a thank you to The Christie for its care for Alan and Joan’s daughter Sharon Backhouse, who is being treated there for breast cancer.

Alan, 66, lives at Castle, and Gemma, 10, is a pupil at Lostock Gralam Primary School.

Dave is from Hartford, and Alan and Gemma took their dogs along for the challenge.

Northwich to the Christie Hospital is 18 miles, and Alan and his cousin completed the whole distance, with Alan’s wife doing 12 miles and Gemma seven.

Alan walked with his Boxer dog Caesar, and Gemma took her King Charles Spaniel Lacy along.

“My daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer last October, and I wanted to do something for her and to raise some money for The Christie,” said Alan.

“I thought – let’s go and walk there – and we set off at 10 o’clock in the morning, reaching the hospital six and a half hours later.

“Sharon was due to finish her last chemotherapy on the 19th of March, and I wanted to do the walk before then so I could take the money to the hospital on the day she finishes her treatment.

“She is due to have surgery at the end of next month, and the care she has received at the hospital has been absolutely superb.

“My cousin Dave and I also have recovered from prostate cancer a few years ago, so we felt it was doubly important to raise funds for the fight against cancer.”

Alan has completed two London Marathons and the Potteries Marathon for charity, and Sharon’s husband, also called Alan, is planning a 180-mile round trip cycling marathon from Northwich to Snowdonia in May with 10 friends for The Christie.

Alan works for Roberts Bakery, and Sharon works as a clerical assistant in Knutsford.

Alan Dean hopes to have raised £1,500 from the sponsored walk, a justgiving page and a race night held at The Slow and Easy Hotel in Northwich.

He thanked everyone who sponsored the walk, including Willow Vets, K9 Agility, Waggs Kennels and Well Heeled Dog Club.

The just giving page, justgiving.com/Alan-Dean3, is still open.