County Hall is encouraging Welwyn Garden City’s army of countryside-lovers to join a mass walk on the outskirts of the town on Monday morning in a bid to beat a record set last year.

For National Walking Month, the county council has arranged 24 short “health walks” across Hertfordshire, with one three-mile route starting from Digswell Park off Knightsfield at 10am.

Spokeswoman Muireann Banerjee said: “Hertfordshire County Council is inviting residents to dust off their walking shoes and take part in a mass health walk on Monday.

“The mass health walk last year saw 630 residents out walking at the same time in locations across Hertfordshire - and we are hoping to smash this record on Monday.”

The walk is estimated to take about an hour.