Westergate trekker at halfway point

Colin Snook is today (Friday, May 9)set to leave the Isle of Anglesey and head for Bangor on the north Wales coast.

It will mean he has completed 1,561 miles of the 3,819 he will walk along the coastline of the British Isles.

Mr Snook (71) is trekking on his own to raise money for the charity, Children Living with Inherited Metabolic Diseases.

This is committed to fighting metabolic diseases through research, awareness and family support.

He has raised some 8,200 so far of his 50,000 target.

He left Bognor Regis on January 1 and intends to return to the resort on November 30.

Along the way, he will have passed through towns such as Torquay, Penzance, John O'Groats, Frinton-on-Sea and Margate. His blog gives details of his progress and how he is maintaining his tough schedule against some inclement conditions.

For last Tuesday, he wrote: "Lovely walk beneath mountains of the Lleyn peninsular going over pass for pub lunch.

"Back to coast overlooking Caernafon Bay. Have to dodge in and out of five miles of roadworks before camping at Pontllyfi. Awake most of the night, rain pounding on tent and wind always a threat to blow it away. I survived, just."

As well as camping, retired firefighter Mr Snook is being hosted by supporters along the way. He also mentions the kindness of strangers who pay for his meals or offer other help when he meets them along his route.

He has been inspired in his epic journey by a chance encounter with a teenager with Battens Disease from which she died.

He describes it as a dreadful illness which can leave young people with epileptic fits, blind and speechless, Many die before they are 20.

His dream has always been to conquer the British coastline on foot.