AT 70 years old, one would imagine Eddy Edwards is twice as active as most people half his age.

This summer, the ex-Army man – who also served as a police officer with Essex Police for 19 years – is travelling from John O’Groats to Land’s End in aid of the Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

Typically, people who go from John O’Groats to Land’s End for a charity fundraiser will do so by bicycle; but given Mr Edwards already has that challenged ticked off, he this time intends to go one step further – and will undertake the 874-mile journey by foot.

One of the challenges involving Mr Edwards’ fundraiser was plucking up the courage to tell his wife, Sandie, that he would be out in the wilderness for 30 days – but with her and his children’s support, it is all systems go as he prepares for his departure on Wednesday, June 8.

He said: “I’ve been active all my life – I couldn’t tell you how many marathons I’ve run.

“When I walked from White Sands Bay to Ness Point a couple of years ago, I promised my wife that was it.”

Watching the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold, however, Mr Edwards was never going to look on whilst millions suffered.

“I’m quite into current affairs [and saw] the situation in Ukraine and the atrocities that were occurring – it sickened me when I saw the kids and families jumping on anything they could to get out of there.

“I just felt the need to do something.”

Mr Edwards’ journey will begin in just under two weeks’ time, when he will dip his toe into the sea at John O’Groats – part of the journey’s tradition, he says – before walking the length of the country whilst fuelled by army rations and cups of Yorkshire tea.

“I will be in contact several times a day to let my family know that I’m tucked up in a field somewhere,” Mr Edwards said.

The 70-year-old hopes to return to his home in Marks Tey in mid-July.

Any donations to Mr Edwards’ fundraiser can be made via https://justgiving.com/fundraising/brian-edwards13.