TWO friends have walked almost 200 miles in memory of a young family man who lost his life to leukaemia.

Rachel McGuicken and Elaine McFar-lane, both of Christleton, raised more than £2,000 for Cancer Research UK after the death of Littleton man Mitch Baines, 35.

Rachel was friends with Mitch and his wife Julia as well as their young children Lewis and Kira. Elaine had never met Mitch but wanted to support her pal on the 183-mile trek along Offa's Dyke from Chepstow to Prestatyn.

They took just 10 days to complete the walk, averaging an impressive 18 miles per day, and stayed in B&Bs along the way. Family and supporters greeted them at the end during an emotional occasion where they raised a glass to Mitch.

Rachel, a part-time lecturer in the history department at University College Chester and Keele University, said: 'I was good friends with Mitch and Julia, and still am. I'm a landscape historian. I study the history of the landscape - the effects of settlement on the countryside - and it was something I had wanted to do anyway.

'I love the Welsh borders and Mitch was the sort of person, if he wanted to do something, he did it. He said that a few times before he had cancer. He said, 'get on and do it, don't hang about'. So this seemed a really fitting tribute.'

Rachel, 40, became friends with Elaine, a bio-chemist for Shell at Stanlow, through their children.

'Elaine said: 'I will train with you, but also, I'm coming with you',' said Rachel. 'She knows Julia, but she never met Mitch. It was a personal challenge for her but it's become more personal since she got to know Julia.'

The pals, both married with two children, gained sponsorship from friends, family, colleagues and companies like Tattenhall-based Cheshire Farm Ice cream, MFI, Shell, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Wilkinsons and Chester jewellers Boodle and Dunthorne. They also raised about £100 along the route from B&B owners and fellow walkers.

Both keen swimmers, the women were reasonably fit but not particularly experienced walkers so they started a training schedule in January taking in local beauty spots including Helsby Hill.

'The experience we had was amazing,' said Rachel. 'There were some wonderful views. Just being able to do it made you feel glad to be alive.'

Mitch featured on BBC1's Magic Bullet earlier this year which followed the lives of three seriously ill patients undergoing revolutionary new treatments.

He was given a bone marrow transplant as a last resort but Mitch, who was diagnosed in September 2002, died on Thursday, October 23 last year.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can make a cheque payable to Cancer Research UK and send it c/o Rachel McGuicken, 56 Toll Bar Road, Chester, CH3 5QX.