OKEHAMPTON was the stop off point for a blind man walking from John O?Groats to Land?s End as he embarked on the final section of the walk this week.
Mike Butler, who is registered blind,is walking the 900-mile route in 40 days to raise money for the Macular Disease Society.
Mike, aged 55, successfully completed a sponsored walk from Land?s End to Weston-super-Mare two years ago, but has decided to tackle a greater challenge this time, and will walk an average of 24.5-miles per day.
?I started distance walking as a hobby and realised I could turn it into a way of raising money for causes I am interested in,? said Mike.
?My sight loss obviously does make things harder for me, but although I am registered blind, this is due to the serious deterioration of my detail vision.
?I feel confident I can still see to walk safely and have planned the route very carefully. I have been training very intensively for this event over the past few months,? he said.
Mike was easily recognisable on Monday as he was wearing the Macular Disease Society bright yellow and blue t-shirt. On arriving in Okehampton, Mike said he was feeling good, and had enjoyed the sunny weather during the day.
Mrs Gwyn Dickinson, national chairman of the Macular Disease Society, who lives in Sampford Courtenay, met up with Mike and walked with him from Exeter Road into the centre of Okehampton on Monday.
Mike stayed overnight in Okehampton, before leaving the following day, next stop Launceston.
Mike is a member of the Macular Disease Society, a registered charity offering information and support to people who have lost the central part of their vision and the ability to see detail.
The most common macular disease is age-related macular degeneration, and is also the most common cause of registrable blindness in the UK today. The Macular Disease Society has more than 12,000 members and 120 local support groups.
A free information pack is available to anyone wishing to know more about Macular Disease by calling the Society?s helpline on 0845 241 2041.