Cricket hero Sir Ian Botham raised £30,000 to help fight childhood cancer when he strode through a town centre.

Sir Ian, known as Beefy, began the Tunbridge Wells stage of Beefy’s Great British Walk Against Childhood Leukaemia outside Marks & Spencer’s Calverley Road store on Sunday.

Cricketing stars Nasser Hussain and Martin Saggers, plus singer Cheryl Baker, were among the people who joined the former England and Somerset player for the start of the 15-mile (24.1km) leg of the walk via The Pantiles to Southborough and then Penshurst Place.

He also met the Mayor and Mayoress of Tunbridge Wells, Cllr Mike Rusbridge and his wife, Chris.

Sir Ian said: “It was great to be in Tunbridge Wells with the great British public supporting me.

“Every penny counts and we can beat childhood leukaemia if we work together to raise as much money as possible.”

Cranbrook and Benenden borough councillor Sean Holden (Con) and his four children were among the supporters who met Sir Ian before his walk last Sunday.

Cllr Holden, who lives with his wife Corinna in Cranbrook, confounded doctors by becoming a father after enduring chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Cllr Holden and his sons, Jude, nine, and Jake, eight, took part in Beefy’s 6.7 mile walk (10.7km) around Penshurst Place grounds afterwards. The Holden family crossed the finish line first and raised at least £1,300 for the charity.

Beefy’s 131-mile walk (211km) is taking in nine UK cities from October 10 to 18 and, for the first time, the public can join him on parts of the journey. The first three days of his walk, starting last Friday, have raised a total £100,000.