Highlighting the need for more foster carers was the mission for a superhero as he completed a marathon walk.

Andy Whiting from Emneth, near Wisbech, has walked 97,000 steps - one for every child in need of care or a foster home - in a tour of towns and shopping centres across the region.

He donned his cape, mask and boots to finish his journey at Tesco in King's Lynn on Monday, after stints in towns including Wisbech, Thetford and Lowestoft.

Mr Whiting's wife Lisa has launched a not-for-profit fostering agency called Starz, with friends Nicky Starenczak, who has been fostering for 20 years, and Zoe Key, who has also worked in childcare.

Supporters have run a stall to spread awareness and to try to recruit new carers while Mr Whiting has been completing his walk.

Mrs Starenczak said: "We've had a really, really good response from people, they're shocked how many families we need across the country, we're desperate for new carers."

She added a number of people had signed up to register their interest, while Starz was offering an introduction to fostering, so potential carers could find out whether it was suitable for them before making a commitment.

Mr Whiting turned shoppers' heads in Tesco, before heading into Lynn to complete his final 11,000 steps with a walk around the town centre.

"It's been fantastic," he said. "Loads of people have been curious about what's going on, we've had loads of people ask us about fostering."

Starz, which operates across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, will pay families from money it receives from local authorities to fund placements.

Becoming a foster carer takes from three to eight months of training and assessments.

The agency employs its own social worker and psychologist to support families.

Young people placed with Starz can turn to it for support up to the age of 27.

For more information, email info@starzfosteringcic.co.uk