A retired doctor living with motor neuron disease (MND) who took on a cross-England trek has revealed how two bad falls on the opening day threatened to end the challenge.

Luke Hames-Brown, 35, who lives near Oxford, and his team completed the 84-mile challenge, passing his initial £5,000 fundraising target to raise more than £40,000 for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, MND Association and Petals, among others.

He had prepared for months but encountered two painful falls on day one- the first just before the start line and the second a head-first tumble 21km into a 23km first day.

Luke Hames-Brown and some of his family and friends who joined him on the walkLuke Hames-Brown and some of his family and friends who joined him on the walk (Image: My Name’5 Doddie Foundation)

He was joined by his former Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue colleagues and awarded a red jacket – normally reserved only for serving volunteers – and honorary life membership.

Mr Hames-Brown, who was diagnosed with MND in April last year, and had been affected by a viral illness in the run up to the challenge, said: "Three years ago, I’d have prided myself on pushing through the pain and always going beyond my limits.

Luke Hames-Brown with his former mountain rescue colleaguesLuke Hames-Brown with his former mountain rescue colleagues (Image: My Name’5 Doddie Foundation)

"Now I have MND, I have to accept that isn’t always an option – the disease will limit what I can do.

"However, my mission in my MND journey is to show everybody that the disease won’t stop me from doing what I love – nor should it anybody – I just have to do it differently.