Ramblers, hikers and strollers met at Felbrigg Hall today to take part in a mass walk as part of a campaign to encourage more people onto their feet.

Members of North Norfolk's Fit Together group were joined by dog walkers and youngsters on the countryside stroll.

The event was led by Walk4Life - part of the government's Change4Life programme, which is encouraging the nation to enjoy exercise and a healthy diet. The lively group, who were joined by ITV Anglia reporter Luke Farrington, set off from Felbrigg at 10.30am on either a one mile or three mile route. Among them was Phil Harriott, a leader with Fit Together, who said walking helped him pinpoint and overcome a serious health problem.

A few months after joining the walking group the 66-year-old from North Walsham started noticing pains in his shoulders and - unbeknownst to him - suffered a heart attack.

He said: 'I was getting aches and pains when I was doing any exercise or walking. I thought it was muscular and would go away but then eventually I went to the doctors and they diagnosed that I'd got a partial blockage in an artery, which needed minor surgery to put in a stent to open it up.

'They told me in hospital that I'd had a heart attack.'

Mr Harriott is now back to health and said being a member of the walking group had helped 'tremendously' with his recovery.

Fit Together runs several walks of varying lengths and difficulty throughout the week and was heavily involved in today's Walk4Life, which ten cities across the country took part in, after being picked as a group to spearhead the campaign's healthy message.

Mr Harriott hoped today's walk would encourage more people to join his group of friendly ramblers.

'It's not just a question of walking for fitness it's almost a social occasion and so many have joined to come and meet people and socialise,' he added.

? For more information about the North Norfolk Fit Together group call Melanie Brown on 07826 869377 or 01263 516029.