Monday, December 15, 2008

TEENAGER COMPLETES UK COAST WALK !

A teenager who sparked a land and air rescue operation after stealing a boat has completed a sponsored walk around Britain to make amends.
Seb Green was 15 when he and a friend sparked a search costing £20,000 when they got stranded near Weymouth Harbour, Dorset, in May 2004.
He has spent nearly a year walking 5,821 miles (9,367km) around Britain with his border collie, Flash.
Mr Green, 19, of Weymouth, set off on 1 February and arrived home on Sunday.
He said he was delighted to be back in Preston, near Weymouth.
"I have given up almost a year of my life and it has been an extremely worthwhile sacrifice," Mr Green said.
"It will be a strange feeling not having to wake up in the morning and not having to pack my bag and start walking.
"Now I am just looking forward to Christmas and spending time with my family."
Mr Green has raised more than £20,000 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Starlight Children's Foundation, a charity which grants wishes for seriously and terminally ill children and provides hospital entertainment.


Mr Green and his friend became stranded in mud in Fleet Lagoon late at night on 8 May 2004.
Both teenagers began shouting for help and as he got out of the boat to walk to safety he became stuck up to his waist in mud.
Fortunately, a passer-by heard their screams and called for help.
The coastguard helicopter, Dorset Police helicopter, two coastguard land-based teams and two RNLI lifeboats were scrambled to rescue the pair.
They were plucked to safety by the coastguard helicopter at about midnight.

Mr Green, who celebrated his 19th birthday in Plymouth along the way, said: "It was a very stupid thing to do.
"At the time I felt extremely guilty but as time has moved on the sense of guilt has faded.
"I don't think the £20,000 will make amends for the prank.
"What the £20,000 will do is help brighten up the lives of seriously ill children and assist the air ambulance in saving lives."
Mr Green and his three-year-old dog walked to Dover along the Thames Estuary, up to Scotland taking in John O'Groats, before heading back south walking through Wales, Lands End and The Lizard, in Cornwall and then along the south coast back to Weymouth.
Highlights of his walk included seeing a white-tailed sea eagle near Loch Ewe in Scotland and an otter in Applecross, Scotland.
The trek has not been without problems, Mr Green has a recurring knee injury and Flash was hurt jumping over a barbed wire fence.
He slept under the stars in his tent for most of the trip and people also donated their spare rooms.
Mr Green said he planned to study A-levels in Biology and English before joining the Royal Marines.

BBC NEWS REPORT.

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