A sponsored walk around Grafham Water aims to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association to offer support to St Neots businessman John Woods who has been diagnosed with the condition.

Around 50 people will take part in the walk, which involves two laps of the reservoir, on November 27.

The event has been organised by Adrian Smith, a long-term friend of Mr Woods, of St Neots Windows.

Mr Smith said: “He is my best friend. I have known him for more than 20 years and he has been very good to me during difficult times, so I wanted to do something for him.

“It is not just a question of raising some money, a lot of people know John and I wanted to show the support for him by how many people were doing it.”

Mr Smith said he wanted to organise a fundraiser, such as a walk, which a lot of people could tackle.

Mr Woods, 58, and his wife Tracey have owned St Neots Windows for 25 years. Mrs Woods said her husband had been diagnosed with MND at the end of the summer after experiencing a number of health problems, but was continuing to work.

“Nobody ever expects to be diagnosed with MND because it is quite rare and nobody knows much about it, but we have since found out that there are two other people in St Neots with it,” she said.

Mrs Woods said the diagnosis was a shock but that her husband was carrying on as normal and planning to do some of the things he had wanted to do while he was still able.

Mr Smith has set up a JustGiving page where donations can be made to the MNDA where the money would go towards research into the condition, care and campaigning to raise awareness.

MND is a condition where cells in the brain and nerves stop working, causing symptoms such as muscle weakness, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. It is life-shortening but sufferers can live with it for many years. What causes MND remains unknown.

Donations can be made to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Adrian-Smith66?