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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Milo Boyd

Captain Tom Moore, 99, completes 100th lap of garden and raises £13m for NHS

Captain Tom Moore has completed 100 lengths of his garden and raised more than £13million for the NHS in the process.

The 99-year-old veteran has been walking up and down the length of his 25metre garden over the past week.

This morning he completed the task as donations passed the £13million mark.

His achievements - which started at a modest target of £1,000 last week, ahead of his 100th birthday on April 30 - were singled out by Matt Hancock.

The Health Secretary called the veteran an "an inspiration to us all".

Captain Moore completed his walk with a guard of honour (Credit: BBC Breakfast) (BBC)

"I saw the video a little while ago, a few days ago, and I was just inspired," Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast.

"And then I've been following him since, as the amount he has raised has gone up and up and up.

"Captain Tom, he has served his country in the past and he's serving his country now, both raising that money for the NHS, for which I know NHS charities are going to be incredibly proud and grateful, but also cheering us all up.

"And we all need a bit of cheering up sometimes."

The 99-year-old has proved an inspiration to people across the UK (Credit: BBC Breakfast) (BBC)

Captain Moore has appeared incredibly grateful at the huge amount of support he has received.

Speaking about far surpassing his fundraising target from his home in Marston Moreteyne, Bedfordshire, he told BBC One: "I think that's absolutely enormous.

"At no time when we started off with this exercise did we anticipate we'd get anything near that sort of money.

"It just shows that people have such high regard for matters of our National Health Service and it's really amazing that people have paid so much money."

Originally from Keighley in West Yorkshire, Mr Moore trained as a civil engineer before enlisting in the Army for the Second World War, rising to captain and serving in India and Burma.

When he was posted to serve in India in October 1941, it took his Battalion six weeks by sea to arrive there.

During his time in south Asia Captain Moore was instructed to start a motorcycling course before the Battalion was moved on to Calcutta - a road journey which took three weeks in Monsoon season.

Back in the UK Captain Moore was sent on a course at The Armoured Fighting Vehicle School in Bovington.

He was kept there as an instructor until they were demobilised.

Mr Moore began raising funds to thank NHS staff who treated him for a broken hip.

England cricketer Ben Stokes praised Captain Moore for his efforts.

He said: "What you've managed to achieve is absolutely fantastic.

"The funds that you've managed to raise for the real heroes today is simply sensational.

"I hope I'm moving just as well as you at 50 never mind 100. Keep up the good work."

To donate click here.

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