A GROUP of hardy Southend United fans, plus Echo sports reporter Chris Phillips, walked 28 miles – much of it beside the A127 – for charity.

Nine members of the Shrimpers Trust group walked from the club’s Roots Hall ground to Dagenham and Redbridge’s Victoria Road stadium.

The “Stagger to the Daggers” was in aid of the stroke unit at Southend Hospital.

Walkers started at 7am, reaching the East London ground just after 5pm after each taking an estimated 49,000 steps.

Echo sports reporter Chris Phillips said: “We had to support each other all the way, because it would have been a really boring walk to do on your own.”

Scott Barber, Clare Brooks, Tom Brooks, Shane Chapman, Rob Craven, Paul FitzGerald, Lesley Hicks, Darren Posnack and Alec Trott completed the walk with Chris.