Veteran Tom Moore, 99, raises more than £10 million for NHS by walking laps in his garden

A 99-year-old veteran who challenged himself to walk 100 lengths of his garden has raised more than £10 million for the NHS.

Tom Moore, who served in India and Burma, originally set out to raise £1,000 – but a burst of donations has seen that sum pledged on average every 20 seconds.

The fundraiser had topped £1 million as of 9am on Tuesday, before surpassing £4 million as of 11pm and £9 million by 8pm on Wednesday.

By 11pm on Wednesday night, the veteran had reached the stunning milestone of £10 million raised for the NHS.

Earlier on Wednesday, on his Twitter account, the 99-year-old said: "9 MILLION POUNDS!!!

He added: "NHS - we love you! Let's clap loud tomorrow night...."

'I'm speechless almost, it's just fantastic, it just shows that people are so pleased with our national health service'

Mr Moore told ITV News: "It's absolutely marvellous, our brave nurses and doctors, who are frontline in this case."

He added: "In the last war we had our soldiers in uniform, in navy the army and the airforce, fighting, but this time our army are in doctors' and nurses' uniforms and they've doing such a marvellous job regardless of their own benefit."

Mr Moore, originally from Keighley in Yorkshire, was aiming to walk 100 lengths of his Bedfordshire garden before he turns 100 on April 30.

The public can send birthday cards to the 99-year-old for his 100th birthday, by sending it to Captain Tom Moore, C/O Post Office Limited, 67 Bedford Road, Marston Moretaine, MK43 0LA, Bedfordshire, England.

Kids across the country have been sending virtual cards to the veteran using the hashtag #makeacardfortom.

His challenge and fundraising has been praised by a range of famous faces, with England hooker Jamie George saying he had been “truly inspired”.

Carole Decker from T’Pau said he was an “amazing fella”, and the US ambassador to the UK Woody Johnson saying it was “amazing what people can do”.

  • Michael Ball congratulates Mr Moore for showing "true Great British spirit"

Actor and singer Michael Ball recorded a congratulations message for Mr Moore. The broadcaster told ITV News that the veteran was demonstrating "true Great British Spirit".

Elsewhere, Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas praised Captain Tom on his achievement. The cyclist - recording his message while on an exercise bike - said Mr Moore was a "true inspiration".

While comedian David Walliams wrote on Twitter: "Once a hero always a hero."

  • Geraint Thomas sends his congratulations to Mr Moore:

Mr Moore, who recently had a hip operation, is ahead of schedule with his walking, now hoping to finish the challenge by Thursday.

His fundraiser has led almost 250,000 individual donors to sponsor him for his 100 laps.

The veteran told ITV News he isn't proud for himself, but for the NHS workers on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis.

Mr Moore, who trained as a civil engineer before enlisting in the army for the Second World War, rising to captain, told the BBC: “I never imagined anything like this, but I’m so pleased, and I hope it just goes on because the services I got from all these doctors and nurses was absolutely outstanding.

“And they’re such nice people too.”

Donations to NHS Charities Together can be made at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tomswalkforthenhs