A County Durham man has raised more than £1,700 for Parkinson’s UK after completing a challenging 42-mile walk.

Darren Mason, 29, from Newton Aycliffe, alongside his friend James Johnson, walked the Lyke Wake Walk route from Osmotherly to Ravenscar, North Yorkshire, in less than 20 hours.

The pair set off at midnight on June 14 in darkness and trekked through thunderstorms and marshy terrain.

Mr Mason was motivated by personal reasons and a charitable cause.

He said: "Personally, I wanted to see how hard and far James and I could push ourselves physically and mentally.

"I believed growth came from discomfort, and this was undoubtedly a painful but worthwhile challenge."

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His endeavour was also to honour his grandad Gordon and uncle Alan, both suffering from Parkinson's.

Mr Mason said: "Parkinson's has impacted my family's life for over a decade through my grandad, Gordon’s journey with the condition.

"We have witnessed the condition slowly take away his abilities, from simple tasks to enjoying walks. It’s a condition that changes lives, not just for the people affected by Parkinson’s but for everyone around them.

"For my grandad, we have relied on NHS support and figured out ways to cope independently.

"But I recognised the immense value of organisations like Parkinson's UK in providing crucial support services and driving research."

Mr Mason hopes his fundraising efforts will help to increase awareness about Parkinson's and resilience.

"I want to increase awareness about Parkinson's and show that, like those affected by it, anyone could achieve their goals through determination.

"I hope the funds raised support Parkinson's UK in their vital research efforts and providing aid to people living with Parkinson’s."