OVER the past three years, Dousland resident Roger Mechan has walked more than 1,000 miles through Europe to raise funds for the Help for Heroes charity.

This year he should have been walking the route of the Cathar Castles in south west France, but while walking on Dartmoor in March, he slipped and ruptured a major tendon in his knee.

On medical advice he decided to give the hills a miss and walked the 200 miles along the Nantes to Brest canal, a simple flat walk of ten days, without complication — or so he thought.

Roger said: 'I caught the ferry to France, intending to catch a train the 200 miles to Nantes, only to find when I arrived at Roscoff that the train drivers were on strike. So I resorted to something I had not done for 50 years, when I was 16, I decided to hitch-hike. After six lifts I arrived in Nantes, eight hours later. It was free and I met some interesting people who could not have been more helpful.'

Roger said the canal is great for cyclists, but not so for long distance walkers and accommodation became a problem for him. He slept rough in barns, in old caravans and at a chateau where a sympathetic countess washed his clothes for him.

'In other places the sight of the long scar on my ruptured kneecap and my usual end of day demeanour — panting, bottom lip out and looking like some scruffy discarded granddad — prompted bed and breakfast owners who would normally claim to be full to find a broom cupboard for me to sleep in.'

Roger also faced some harsh weather conditions, including a thunderstorm and a hailstorm, where the hailstones were so large they caused damage to car roofs, flattened vines and caused bruising on his head.

Roger has since held a street collection in Tavistock, where donations amounted to £155.49.

As there were no expenses incurred on his trip, he is now only £48 away from his £5,000 target.

Anyone who would like to support Roger in his fundraising efforts can do so by visiting http://www.justgiving.com/thepilgrim">www.justgiving.com/thepilgrim