War baby walks a lap of Newark Cricket Club meadow for each of 76 years he was born to raise funds for Beaumond House Community Hospice

A war baby is walking a lap of a cricket meadow for each of the 76 years since he was born.

Barry Thompson has been using the meadow at Newark Cricket Club to exercise during the lockdown and, in true Captain Tom style, set himself a birthday challenge.

“For my 76th birthday I will do 76 laps in five days to raise money for Beaumond House Community Hospice,” said Barry.

“The meadow is beautiful, completely isolated and 650 strides around, roughly equating a marathon distance ­— many people are aware of my affinity with marathons.”

Barry said the field he used was extremely isolated and he had one volunteer at each session to count and certify the laps.

Money raised so far has totalled more than £1,500.

“Whatever the balance on the 15th, I will complete on that day ­— my birthday,” he said.

Anyone wanting to donate to Barry’s War Baby Walk in aid of Beaumond House should go to the JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/warbabywalkbarryt or donate via Barry’s Facebook page here.

Beaumond House, Newark, has launched a #fillthegapBH campaign to raise money to cover the expected £300,000 shortfall caused by a lack of fundraising activities and the closure of its charity shops.

Barry will set aside 10% of the money raised to go to Newark Cricket Club to help it get back on its feet following the pandemic.