SOME of television's best known personalities were among more than 4,000 people who stepped out to take part in the 13th Great North Walk last weekend.

Sir Jimmy Saville, saw the four sets of walkers off from the starting point in Wolsingham, County Durham, with the release of a total of 2,000 balloons to mark the year 2000.

Coronation Street star Denise Welch, who plays Rovers Return landlady Natalie Barnes, was joined by her Geordie husband, Auf Wiedersehen Pet actor Tim Healy, as she put her best foot forward for a children's heart charity.

"I'm walking for the Children's Heart Unit Fund, CHUF, which I've recently become patron of," she said.

"It's a great day, because most people are walking for some charity or other."

Husband Tim said: "I've never done the Great North Walk before, but I have done the Great North Run and pushed a boy in a wheelchair when I was supporting a muscular dystrophy charity."

Bob Johnson, weatherman on Tyne Tees Television, who were supporting the event alongside other major sponsors including The Northern Echo, was among the 4,273 walkers, filming for a show which will tell the story of the walk.

"The Great North Walk raises a lot of money for good causes and this is the first time I'm actually going to walk it," he said.

Sir Jimmy added: "I'm just here because it's Geordieland and Wear-dale, I never need any urging to come up this neck of the woods."

After setting the walkers on the way, the star took a walk round the eight mile course himself, taking in much of the area's countryside