AN INSPIRATIONAL duo have put on their walking shoes to complete an incredible one million steps for a cause close to their heart.

Determined colleagues Harry Buntrock, a Traffic Marshall and Ian North, a site supervisor at the Covid 19 Testing centre in Deeside, which is operated by Mitie, each completed a million steps in just one month.

The incredible 'March to a Million' challenge saw them walk the equivalent of the UK to Denmark in support of a charity for bereaved families of stillborn children.

It was inspired by the tragic loss of Harry and his fiancée Ellie's daughter, Winnie Ivy Buntrock, who was sadly born still on November 14, 2020.

The devastated parents, from Greenfield, Holywell, were just 17 days away from welcoming Winnie into the world when they were told the heartbreaking news that their daughter did not have a heartbeat.

Touched by the couples heartbreaking plight, colleagues from the testing centre were quick to rally and so came about the idea of the fundraiser - for which a breathtaking £3,290 has to date been raised.

The March to a Million fundraiser was undertaken in support of the 4Louis charity, which enabled Harry and Ellie to spend three precious final days with their daughter after her still birth.

The charity provides cold cuddle cots in which stillborn children are placed, allowing parents to spend time and say their goodbyes, something which Harry recalls meant everything to them..

Harry said: "If it was not for 4Louis, I do not know what we would done. It meant everything to us as parents to spend those last precious days with Winnie. we were able to hold Winnie and she was so beautiful with lots of dark hair. It was just so precious to have that time.

"We were also given a memory box with clay imprints of Winnie's hands and feet, photographs of her and other mementos including a key ring of a heart, split, so Ellie has one piece, I have one and Winnie has one with her.

"Winnie also has a teddy bear buried with her and we have the exact same teddy bear at home. This meant everything, it provides so much comfort to us so we cannot say thank you enough to 4Louis charity for what they did for us."

Harry and Ian completed their challenge, walking for a minimum of six hours per day in all weathers, some days walking a gruelling but determined 40- 80,000 steps.

Ellie and Harry have already raised £1,600 in separate fundraising challenges for 4Louis, and Ian's partner Kelly Hatton also completed a million steps and has been involved in other fundraising quests to support the cause along with her Grandson Harrison who has undertaken a charity bike ride..

Colleagues from the Covid-19 Testing site also gave generously to the cause.

The fundraising is ongoing and donations can be made through the Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/teamdeeside.

A Facebook page entitled March to a Million has also been set up by the pair to track progress on the challenge and funds raised to date.

Whilst Harry and Ian say their fundraiser may be tough, every step taken is worth the while to give something back to a charity which parents hold close to their hearts.

Ian, from Shotton, who has previously fundraised for many charities added: "When we heard about Harry and Ellie's tragic loss, and seeing how it had affected them, there was never any question in my mind that I was going to do something and after suggestions from colleagues on site, we decided to do this challenge. Please help us to support this incredible charity."

Ellie bravely shared her story on the JustGiving page hoping to raise awareness.

She wrote: “Never did we think that would never happen, you are prepared for everything in pregnancy but never to lose your baby.

“I got to my third trimester and it was amazing I had a giant bump and could feel her kicking all the time, Harry could see it from the outside of my tummy and when I was awake at night Winnie would be wriggling around with me and I'd speak to her.

“The comfort I have is remembering all the times I told her I love her and she would kick back to my voice.”

Ellie went on the say that when she was told the devastating news she ‘went into hysterics’ as she was alone in the room due to the restrictions brought on by the pandemic.

She added: “When harry was brought in we were taken to another room I was given a pill to put me into labour but had to go home until I felt contractions.

“Going home with Winnie in my tummy knowing she was no longer alive felt awful. I remember Praying that whatever God took Winnie away would take me away with her in my sleep, But I woke up at 4am knowing I was in labour.

“We went into hospital and was taken to the same room before I was put on the bed. Within a few hours at 7:23am Winnie was born.

“They passed her to me and I didn't see death, I didn't even cry for the first two hours of holding her because all I saw was my sleeping baby. I didn't even believe she was gone looking at her face she was just fast asleep. There was no way a baby could be this perfect and exactly everything I believed she would be, 17days early, full term.”