FUNDRAISER Chris Stanbury is hoping to achieve two world records while raising money for the charity Hope and Homes for Children by walking nearly 2,500 miles in around 144 days (five months) from Lands End to John O’Groats and back again.

Chris, also known as the Pink Hat Man as he is usually seen wearing one, will start his walk at the most westerly point of mainland England on Thursday, April 3 and aims to reach John O’Groats on the eve of Midsummer’s Day.

The keen walker will then turn around and walk back to Land’s End via a different and more direct route, reaching the Cornish landmark on August Bank Holiday Monday.

Chris said: “I want to achieve something memorable following my 70th birthday and my walk aims to raise £70,000 which will transform the lives of children currently trapped in orphanages.”

The charity Hope and Homes for Children has been working to improve the lives of children in orphanages since 1994 and is supported by famous names including actors Dame Kristen Scott Thomas and Gary Oldman, and broadcasters Natalie Pinkham and Nick Hewer.

Today over 5.4-million children are confined in orphanages, even though 80 per cent of those are not orphans. Hope and Homes for Children is working in nine countries with teams of skilled, local child protection professionals to get these children Back to Family.

Chris, who lives on a pink coloured electric narrowboat called elektra, has spent months planning this once-in-a-lifetime trip which could earn him two world records: one for being the oldest person to walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats and back again (known as LeJoGLe) and the other for being the fastest (as no one has claimed the record in the past).

He has spent months planning his route which will involve him walking 1,344 miles and a total ascent of more than 140,000 feet on his way up through Britain. His return walk will cover a total of 1,097 miles and a less challenging 82,033 feet of ascent.

The route will take in some iconic paths including the Cotswold Way, the Jubilee Way, Offa’s Dyke, Wales Coast Path, all 268 miles of the Pennine Way, the West Highlands Way and the entire length of the Lancaster Canal where his narrowboat is currently moored.

Chris adds: “By using long distance paths and National Trails I am hopeful that most of the route will be reasonably well marked and well walked. That should mean less fighting my way through brambles and blocked footpaths!”

The public can help Chris to reach his £70,000 target by making a donation to the charity via his JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/page/lejog70.