TEN Make Poverty History campaigners will be staying in Preston tonight (Thursday) as they stop off on their 400-mile walk to the G8 summit in Scotland.

The group started the gruelling trek from Birmingham on Saturday June 18 and are due to arrive in Gleneagles, on Tuesday, July 5, the day before the meeting of the G8, the leaders of the world's most powerful countries.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to travel to Edinburgh on Saturday July 2 from across the country and the globe to demonstrate against world poverty.

There will be another protest at Gleneagles on Wednesday, July 6.

The group, led by Simon Topping, a Methodist minister from Gloucester, embarked from Birmingham because that was where the last UK G8 summit was in 1998.

He said: "We want them to take every step needed to make poverty history. At the 1998 G8 they pledged $100billion towards debt relief, not even half has been released.

"What the world's poorest need is 100 per cent debt cancellation, and they need it now. That's worth a few bunions and blisters."

The walkers are due to sleep in the Fulwood Methodist Church, Watling Street Road, before continuing their journey.

Chiefs of the high-profile Make Poverty History (MPH) campaign hope that this time round G8 leaders will make a firm commitment to cancelling third world debt.

Hundreds of people from Preston are also expected to travel to Edinburgh on Saturday and dozens are due in Gleneagles for the Wednesday protest.

Michael Lavalette, city councillor and MPH activist, has booked six coaches which will be taking about 300 people to the demonstration, he still has 15 places left on the coach travelling to Gleneagles four days later.

Coun Lavalette, said: "We will not only be calling for cancellation of debt, but also trade justice. Because without trade justice it will just make the problem worse."

Contact Coun Lavalette on 07739 7292314 for a place on a coach to the Gleneagles demonstration.