76-year-old Parkinson's sufferer visits Seaton Carew on 7,000 mile walk

Brian Burnie, 76, from Newcastle, passed through Seaton Carew on Tuesday, September 15, on the last leg of a journey that started two and a half years ago.

He is promoting his charity Daft As A Brush which provides free hospital transport for cancer patients through a fleet of 30 ambulances and 350 volunteers.

He is on a mission to raise £1m so the service can be expanded to one million free patient journeys nationwide through Bluebell Cancer Patient Care.

Brian, who has Parkinson's Disease, was greeted by the Ceremonial Mayor of Hartlepool Councillor Brenda Loynes in Seaton Carew who made a donation to the charity and joined him for a short distance of the walk.

Cllr Loynes said: “I think it's absolutely amazing to walk 7,000 miles. He deserves a medal.

"He invited me to come down and it's an honour and a privilege to meet him.”

Brian was also joined by a small band of supporters including Janet Watkins of Santander bank in Hartlepool and regional coordinator Debbie Waite.

Santander branches all over the country are raising money by walking the equivalent of 7,000 miles to buy a new ambulance for the charity.

Since March 2018, Brian has clocked up over 15 million steps and been through 11 pairs of boots.

Throughout the journey his home has been a converted blue double decker bus.

He has been visiting cancer centres all over the country to try to replicate what his charity does locally and began the last leg at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough on Saturday, September 12.

Brian, whose mum Dorothy was from Hartlepool, said: “This is the last stretch of the walk which has all been about getting the word out and promoting what the charity does in providing free transport for cancer patients.

"It’s been very moving meeting so many supporters along the way.”

He is due to finish at Gateshead’s Baltic arts centre next week on Wednesday, September 23.

Learn more about the cause and donate at https://www.daftasabrushbluebellbus.org.uk

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