THE steps of Swindon Town Football Club's stadium have become the training ground for walkers taking up the Great Wall Challenge later this year.

Steve Cavilla, 48 of Westlea is an pharmacy assistant technical officer at the pharmacy stores at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

He will be joining around 100 other walkers from Swindon in the unique challenge, which will see the walkers scaling many thousands of steps along a 150km stretch of the Great Wall of China in September.

Steve applied for the walk and was accepted in April, but with the big event only a few months away, he has already been making big preparations by joining a local gym.

He said: "It is a very daunting challenge but I am pleased to be given the opportunity to put something back into the community."

Steve must raise a minimum of £2,000 for the event, half of which will go to GWR FM's Community Trust and the other half to the Great Western Hospital's Evolution fund, which will provide money for brand new equipment when the hospital opens in November.

Steve's wife Brenda explained: "I am really proud that he is getting involved in the walk. It's going to be a joint effort, he does the walking and I'll find the sponsors."

Anyone interested in sponsoring Steve should call Swindon 874055.

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