A pub landlord is walking 184 miles along the length of the Thames for a cancer charity after losing two friends to the disease.

Rising Sun pub landlord Neil Pyper set off on April 11 from the river’s source near Cirencester in the Cotswolds and will finish at the Thames Barrier in east London today (April 27).

The 41-year-old, who has lived in the pub in Hampton Hill for four years, hopes to raise £7,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

He said: “One of the highlights has been the number of people stopping me and saying that they know somebody who has had cancer and thanked me for doing what I’m doing and donating money.”

In 2009 the pub landlord’s friend, Mark Grainger, passed away aged 41 and in 2011 he lost 38-year-old Stephen Fothergill to the disease.

Mr Pyper said: “That is ridiculously young to be dying and I thought I needed to do something about it.”

To track Mr Pyper’s progress as he completes the last leg of his journey, or to sponsor him, visit http://neilswalk.org.