Champagne was served to those recently reaching the end of a walk which followed the entire length of the Otter Valley.

Some 17 members of the Otter Valley Association (OVA) recently followed the River Otter from its source in Somerset to the sea at Budleigh Salterton.

The walk, of around 35 miles, was split into four sections with around 38 members taking part overall.

On reaching Budleigh OVA acting-chairman, Nicola Daniel, congratulated the group’s achievement, and thanked Diane Gee for organising the event and Bettina Wilson for her leadership on each of the walks.

Walk organiser Diane presented everyone with a certificate to commemorate their walk, while bubbly was handed out to complete the celebrations.

An OVA spokesperson said: “They very much enjoyed the beauty of the changing landscape and the great diversity of the valley.

“Everyone agreed that it had been an enjoyable experience and that car sharing, and regularly meeting the same people, had enabled the group to bond well and enabled new friendships to be forged.”

The Otter starts life on private land near Churchingford - the walkers began their trek just fields away, stepping over the water.

After walking through quiet lanes, footpaths and field paths to reach Upottery, the group eventually reached Ottery St Mary, Tipton St John and Otterton before the mouth of the river spills into the sea at Budleigh.