An ex-Marine will be using Ashby as part of his route as he bids to cover 177 miles in a week in memory of a friend who took his own life.

Jack Elliott plans to run from the East Midlands to Southampton to raise money for the rock2recovery mental health charity.

Last year, Sam Parkinson, a tattoo artist and ex Royal Marine, committed suicide and Jack ran the 177 miles, the distance from his home to Sam's, in Southampton, over a month.

That raised around £7,000 for the charity and he plans to repeat that feat in April.

But this time he is packing those miles into the space of just one week.

He said: "I wanted to raise money again, but I realised I had to do something different, something bigger.

"So this time, I plan to run the distance from my home in Alfreton to Southampton in seven days.

"That'll be like doing a marathon every day for a week.

"Ashby will be the first stopping off point, so any support along the way will be very much appreciated."

Jack aims to reach the finishing at Victoria Country Park in Southampton on Saturday, April 30.

Sam's mother Sue is also taking part in the fundraising event.

She said: "I live two miles from my son Sam's home, so I intend on swimming two miles for the same charity on the same day as Jack finishes.

"This year I'd love us to to make more than the £7,000 we raised last year."

Jack added: "Friend. Comrade. A "Bessie oppo" is a best friend. Derives from "opposite" i.e., "opposite number" as in "beside" or "next to"

"Sam was my oppo, and I wanted to make the point that if he had told me he needed me I would have gone to him no matter what the distance or how hard it was to get there.

"Suicide is still the biggest killer of men under 50 and therefore more needs to be done to help those who are suffering.

"This year I knew I had to go bigger and better and that's exactly what I am going to do."

Jack's schedule looks like this:

• Sun 24th April - Ashby de la Zouch - 27 mile

• Mon 25th April Coventry - 26 mile

• Tues 26th April Banbury - 27 mile

• Wed 27th April Oxford - 23 mile

• Thursday 28th April Newbury - 28 mile

• Friday 29th April Winchester - 26 mile

• Saturday 30th April Southampton - 20 mile