A sports reporter has completed a sporting endurance feat to raise almost £9,000 for charity.

Chris Phillips, chief sports reporter at South Essex daily The Echo, walked 35 miles between all 16 tennis clubs who currently compete in the Leigh & Westcliff League – and played a game of tennis at each one.

The feat has so far raised £8,710 for South Essex and Central Essex Mind.

Chris, who has raised £120,000 for charity over the years, spoke recently about how the power of the sport can help people with mental health issues after opening up about his own struggles.

Chris, pictured, told The Echo: “I always try and avoid repeating a fundraiser I’ve done before ideally but I wanted it to have a tennis theme as that’s one of my biggest passions.

“I play in the Leigh & Westcliff league myself so it was something I had thought about while driving to some of the venues.

“I spoke with the league’s chairman James Driscoll about it and between us we decided it was suitably crazy for me to try and do.”