THEY admit it has been a harrowing week.

They had to sit at home and watch the homecoming of troops from the Yorkshire Regiment – colleagues of their loved ones.

But relatives of the Huddersfield soldiers killed in a Taliban bomb blast in March are not going to mope. Instead, they will don their walking boots on Sunday and stride out to raise money for the families of dead and injured soldiers.

They will join the Mayor of Kirklees, Clr David Ridgway, as he sets off on his bid to walk the Kirklees Way to raise money for the Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Trust.

He hopes the walk, on 11 weekends over the next two months, will help raise tens of thousands of pounds for the charity, which every year spends £100,000 on caring for the families of troops.

He will be joined on Sunday by Margaret Charlesworth – mother of hero soldier Anton Frampton – and her daughter Gemma, and by Susan Clarke, aunt of another brave soldier Daniel Wilford.

The pair, who died alongside New Mill soldier Jake Hartley, were best friends and their tragic deaths have united the families.

Daniel’s grandmother, Wendy Wilford, of Meltham, will also take part in one of the walks being held on a later date.

Mrs Charlesworth said: “We found Tuesday very hard, watching the rest of Corunna Company coming home.

“I was pleased for the families of the lads who did come back but our arms were empty, we had no-one to hold.

“The response to what happened in March has been stunning. Everywhere we go in Huddersfield, people want to pay tribute to the boys”.

Mrs Clarke said: “We are really pleased the mayor has chosen to do the walk and I know people in Huddersfield will support it”.

Mrs Wilford said: “I’m going to do one of the walks and I will be there with my husband Stanley on Sunday to see them all off.

“We are coping but days like Tuesday are hard”.

Clr Ridgway, who has urged hundreds of people to take part in the walks, said: “The trust does a wonderful job and every penny we raise will go to help support the families of our troops”.

Details of all the Kirklees Way walks are on the Kirklees Council website, along with details of how to make donations.

To find out log on to

www.kirklees.gov.uk/events