A FUNDRAISER took on a 100-mile walk to raise money for the Essex Air Ambulance – to thank them for saving his son’s life.

Olly Browne walked up and down the 1.3-mile-long Marine Parade, in Leigh, to complete the 100 miles in 22 hours and 41 minutes.

Mr Browne did it to thank the air ambulance crew who flew his son Mylo, 23, to hospital after he became trapped under a forklift truck in Leigh in January.

Mylo needed emergency care and was flown to the Royal London Hospital and put in an induced coma – but amazingly he was backworking soon afterwards.

Olly, who raised £4,000 with his efforts, said: “Mylo had been bringing in mussels on a forklift truck in Old Leigh when the truck hit a dip in the ground and tipped over.

“His friends saved him. He died for two-and-a-half minutes.

They got him breathing.

“Then the air ambulance arrived to take over.

“They took him to the Royal London Hospital, where he was in a coma for two days – but he was back at work within weeks.

“I feel so lucky everything just fell into place and he was saved.”

Mr Browne, 60, of Tattersall Gardens, Leigh, is no stranger to endurance walking.

He is a member of the Centurions – a club open only to race walkers who’ve completed a 100-mile walk in under 24 hours – and has his membership number tattooed on his arm.

In 2010, he raised a considerable sum for Help for Heroes by taking on a similar challenge.

A number of race walkers accompanied Mr Browne at various times on the walk to offer encouragement and to provide him with energy drinks and food. He said: “People came and cheered me on and gave me drinks.

“I don’t eat that much, but I do need a bit of sustenance on the way. People offer to let me in their homes to go to the loo along the way, but apart from that it is a non-stop walk.

“I’m on my own for some of the way, but I think about all sorts and don’t get bored.

“It’s a massive challenge but it clears the head.”

The Ship pub, in Old Leigh, also helped with Mr Browne’s fundraising efforts.

As well as race walkers, many other supporters, family and friends attended the walk, bringing along music to create a carnival atmosphere.

After a well-earned afternoon break, Olly and his supporters assembled at the Ship for an evening celebration.

And Mr Browne added: “I’d like to thank everyone at the pub for their help."