A man will lace up his boots for a 55-mile walk in memory of his late wife who died from a rare form of dementia.

Retired Dr John Hirst will walk from Thornaby to Newcastle to raise money and awareness of how dementia can devastate families.

The route will take him through Hartlepool, including Greatham and Seaton Carew, as well as Crimdon, Blackhall, Horden and Peterlee.

Pat was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which impacts speech and behaviour, in 2012 and died five years later aged just 66.

John and Pat Hirst during happier times. John will walk through the region this May to help fund vital dementia research in the North East.

placeholder image — John and Pat Hirst during happier times. John will walk through the region this May to help fund vital dementia research in the North East.

John, from Stockton, said: “Since her diagnosis I have been helping to raise awareness of young onset dementia and also raise funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK’s leading dementia research charity dedicated to understanding the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dementia.”