Thousands walk in South Shields to fight dementia

Thousands of people joined forces to unite against dementia yesterday (Sat) as the North East hosted its biggest ever Memory Walk.

More than 4,500 gathered in South Shields to pay tribute to loved ones whohave battled the condition and those living with it.

Participants set off on the 7km walk from Bents Park before following abreath-taking coastal route.

The event, which raised thousands of pounds for Alzheimer’s Society, hasgrown in popularity year-on-year – so much so that it had to be moved fromits previous starting point outside Gateshead’s Baltic Square to accommodate this year’s record number of participants.

Among those at yesterday's event were three generations of the Hartleyfamily from Thornley, County Durham.

In the space of just 12 months Catherine Hartley learned her 74-year-oldhusband Philip and mother Annie, 88, both had the condition.

Yesterday the 67-year-old was joined by daughter Helen Maw, 41, andgranddaughter Catherine, 18, for the walk.

She said:

"We've had a wonderful day. The atmosphere was amazing and theroute was spectacular."

Brian, 70, of Leadgate, Consett, took part with daughter Karen, 41, inmemory of his late mother Peggy, who died 10 years ago.

He said: "It's been a great day - the best Memory Walk yet."

Alzheimer’s Society research shows 850,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, around 35,000 of them in the North East.

In less than 10 years a million people will be living with the condition –and this will increase to two million by 2051.