'I walked 400 miles to get other men to talk'

A man whose business collapse left him so low he was unable to get out of bed has walked 400 miles (643.7km) to Ireland to encourage others to talk about their mental health.

Mark Phillips, from Ombersley, Worcestershire said walking helped clear his mind after his HGV repair business went into liquidation.

"I'd worked a lot of hours, put a lot of work in and I'd basically [got] nothing at the end of it to show for it," he said.

"[Mental health issues] can strike anybody and you can get out of it. Men tend not to talk about their feelings, they bottle it up."

Mr Phillips set off from Ombersley to a lighthouse on the Loop Head Peninsula in County Clare on 28 September.

He had first discovered the spot while staying with friends nearby during his recovery.

"Whilst I was there I discovered that walking was a tremendous help to my mental health," he wrote on his crowdfunding page.

"I walked for miles on my own, allowing my mind to untangle thoughts and sort out what I wanted from life."

Despite his "legs killing", he made it to his final destination two weeks later, raising more than £2,000 for three charities.

"It's fantastic... people have taken notice of what I've done," he said.

He described losing friends to suicide and urged others suffering with depression to open up.

"If you're feeling down just pick up the phone and speak to somebody, there's always somebody there," Mr Phillips said.

"Or go out and have a walk; get your blood pumping round, clear your mind. Even if it's just for a few minutes it just helps you think a bit straighter."

Men Walking and Talking Worcestershire, West Clare Cancer Support and Liberty Soup Run, Dublin, will all benefit from Mr Phillips' fundraising.

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