Keeping the message alive and promoting the National Memorial Arboretum.

THIS was the moment Alan Rowe MBE and his team of runners arrived at the National Memorial Arboretum, in Staffordshire, earlier today (Sunday).

Around 60 Honitonians, including mayor Peter Fleming, were at the arboretum’s poignant Wall to cheer the team over the finish line.

The event, organised to promote the National Memorial Arboretum and the Baton charity that Mr Rowe founded, was a stunning success.

Runners completed the 110 mile run in 16 hours, starting at 10pm on Saturday and continuing through the night.

Honiton Army Cadets, 1064 Honiton Air Training Corps and Taunton Sea Cadets supported the exercise, along with Barclays bank employees and a separate coach load from Honiton.

With the support of Hookways coaches, Mr Rowe’s wife, Pauline, provided a near-professional hostess service to a large group of local residents, who set off on the bus for Staffordshire at 7am today.

Mrs Rowe gave the passengers regular updates on the runners’ progress.

Honiton businessman John Capon travelled on the bus - so he could drive the runners’ mini-bus on the journey home.

Coach driver Daniel Lavery gave his time for free.

The Midweek Herald covered the entire event. More to follow on this story in the coming days.