A FORMER editor has released a book about his 800km hike across Spain in memory of his best friend who died three years ago.

Mike Gardner, who worked at The Mail for 25 years, took part in the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile pilgrimage walk.

The 67-year-old walked 25 miles for 35 days in tribute to Steve Neep.

Steve died in hospital in 2016 after suffering a cardiac arrest in a sauna.

Mike, along with friend Kazim Ido, pinned a picture of Steve on a cross called “El Cruz de Ferro,” know as the Cross of Iron.

Mr Gardner, who moved to Spain over a year ago, completed the walk to pay tribute to his best friend.

He said: “Steve was the kindest, sweetest man I have ever met in my life.

“Everyone loved him and I felt he was there, with me, along the Camino.

“Whenever I started to get tired, I could feel him alongside me, always encouraging, telling me to keep going, just like he did in life.

“When Kazim put the photograph on the cross it wasn’t sad at all.

He added: “It reminded me how lucky I was to have had Steve in my life for the best part of 50 years.”

Mike posted a daily blog on Facebook to record his progress.

By the time he reached the Cathedral of Santiago, he was being followed by hundreds of people all over the world.

A publisher, who tracked his journey, contacted Mike to see if he wanted to write a book.

It is called Miracles on the Camino, a 45,000-word full of gruelling tales of the walk across mainland Spain.

The book has 80 pictures and an in-depth account of his struggles and experience.

Mike said: “It was a fantastic experience and some of the best days of my life.

“At times I thought I can’t go on, but the people walking with me helped one another and we kept going.”

Against all the odds, Mike met a woman called Rebecca Breus Meier.

She is from Brazil and spent two years as an English teacher at St Paul’s in Hawcoat Lane.

He met her near Leon and we spent several days walking together.

Mike said: “As they say wherever you go in the world you will meet someone from Barrow.

“I met some of the best people I have came across - it was the best thing I ever did.”

Miracles on the Camino is available from Amazon Books as an ebook.

To purchase the book, go to https://www.amazon.co.uk/MIRACLES-CAMINO-uplifting-pilgrimage-Santiago-ebook/dp/B07JFL3YFC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540382748&sr=8-1&keywords=Miracles+on+the+Camino