Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling is walking 262 miles in 10 days from Hartlepool United to Wembley Stadium to help beat prostate cancer. Day 3 took him from Doncaster to Scunthorpe and there were a few surprises for the popular ‘Soccer Saturday’ host along the route and at the finish!
So far, Jeff has journeyed 53 miles from Hartlepool to Marske and York to Leeds. On the third day of his march along the spine of England, he walked 25 miles from Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium to Glanford Park, the home of Scunthorpe United.
Jeff was joined by other walkers raising money for the charity, mascots from both clubs and Iron chairman Peter Swann. They set off from the Keepmoat at 8.00am and travelled east via the racecourse and nature reserve, across the marshes via the Isle of Axholme and the River Trent, before finishing at Glanford Park shortly after 5,00pm.
[Flanked by East Hull Green Watch are (left to right) Peter Swann, Jeff Stelling, Sir Ian Botham (and Pinot), DCFO Chris Blacksell and Fire Authority Chair John Briggs]
The serene countryside between Doncaster and Scunthorpe held a few surprises for Jeff Stelling and his marchers, who were flanked by cheeky club mascots Donny Dog and Scunny Bunny throughout. When England cricket legend Sir Ian Botham decided to make a surprise appearance halfway along the route, it was guaranteed to be another special day on this extraordinary journey. Beefy’s dog ‘Pinot’ enjoyed the final few miles alongside the River Trent before the final push to Scunthorpe just before sunset.
Hundreds of fans gathered at Glanford Park to congratulate Jeff and his merry men as they crossed the finish line – appropriately outside the Sir Ian Botham Executive Lounge. Humberside Fire and Rescue Service brought their fully wrapped Prostate Cancer UK fire engine from its home in Hull to provide a fitting backdrop to the arrival and subsequent photos and media interviews. The striking blue engine graphics were funded by the Hull Clinical Commissioning Group and has been on the run at East Hull Fire Station for a year since its launch in March 2015.
You can find information on the charity walk by visiting the Men United March page on the Prostate Cancer UK website or by following @ProstateUK on Twitter or searching #JeffsMarch or #MenUnited.