PEOPLE in Inverclyde have walked a MILLION miles in the last year in one of the first community challenges of its kind.

Community groups, charities, schools, workplaces, gyms and leisure centres all came together to break the magic million barrier.

Organised by the local community health and social partnership the challenge soon caught on in the area.

Former Provost Robert Moran launched it last year and hopes, like him, people are now taking their health more seriously as a result.

Councillor Moran said: "It is a massive achievement - I think we have all been out with our pedometers over the last year.

"It doesn't need to cost any money to get fit, you just have to get out there and walk.

"We have the Greenock Cut, the fifth most popular walk in the country.

"I'd say to people just to get out there and I would like to congratulate everyone who took part and drove this on."

Robert himself suffered from a health scare when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Since then he has become a high profile fitness campaigner and took part in Morton's Football Fans In Training programme.

Robert added: "I think I used to take my health for granted.

"But when I was told that I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol I decided to do something about it."

Individuals and a total of 61 groups have combined to make the one million mark.

CVS Inverclyde, Inverclyde Council, Inverclyde Globetrotters, the health & social care partnership, Inverclyde Leisure and World Walking were all partners in the project.

A special event was held in the Beacon to celebrate the feat.