Geoff and Noreen Hoare's youngest son Ben (21) collapsed and died on the way to a doctor's appointment in February 2002.

Over the last four years his parents and friends have raised more than £20,000 for Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) and have used this money to buy ten heart monitors and a defibrillator by taking part in the annual event.

The Spalding Guardian and the Rotary Club of South Holland have again teamed up to run the charity walk, which will be held on Sunday, October 14.

Geoff and Noreen have used the walk as a way of raising awareness of SADS – which not many people realise is more common than meningitis.

Noreen, of Mill Lane, said: "We had never even heard of it before Ben died.

"Occasionally you will hear of a teenage lad suddenly dying when they are doing a sporting activity and you think 'Why?'

"Ben had no medical history of illness of any sort. Suddenly he felt faint after he had been to the gym.

"If it had been a couple of minutes later he would have been driving and he would have been just a road accident statistic instead of there being investigations to find out that it was a heart problem."

The couple will be walking on the day and hope that more people will come forward and join their team.

Noreen said: "We enjoy walking anyway and if you are walking for a purpose then it has got a lot more meaning to it."

Walkers will be able to use the event to help their favourite national charity or for a community group or school and all sponsorship money will go to that organisation.

An entry fee of £2 for adults and £1 for children and students will be charged.

The Rotarians have organised the main six-mile course around Spalding Marsh and a two-mile walk for children, who must be accompanied.

Walkers will start and finish the course, which will have stewards, first aid and drinking water, at Springfields Exhibition arena, Camelgate, Spalding, anytime between 10am and noon.

Sponsor forms are available from the Spalding Guardian offices in The Crescent, Spalding, or by calling Rotarian Clive Brown on 01775 723999.

Anyone wishing to join Geoff and Noreen's team is asked to call them on 01406 370311.