Man paddles around Britain on kayak for charity

A man from Surrey has completed a challenge paddling around Britain on a kayak.

Mike Lambert, from Walton-on-Thames, arrived back at East Wittering beach in West Sussex on Sunday after completing 2,000 miles (3218 km) in 58 days.

The physiotherapist said it was "utterly surreal" to have finished the charity challenge which he undertook in memory of his late mother.

He said: "There have been times on this trip where I genuinely didn't think I was ever going to be done."

Mr Lambert added: "To come in and see friends, family on the beach and be welcomed with so much love has just been incredible.

He set of from the West Sussex coastline on 1 June and his challenged was plagued by abysmal weather and fierce currents.

He was forced to stay on land for roughly two weeks due to adverse weather conditions and he was forced to give up his attempt to break the world record for kayaking around Britain, which stands at 40 days.

He said: "I had plenty of hard days. One day in particular that was very bad was up around the west coast of Scotland where I was having six to eight foot waves side on.

"That was just utterly terrifying if I'm being honest."

After setting off from East Wittering, Mr Lambert kayaked westwards along the south coast of England, before crossing the Irish Sea and skirting along the coast of Ireland.

From there, he travelled around Scotland before finishing on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Lambert used the challenge to raise money for the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust and Aortic Dissection Awareness in memory of his late mother as well as for the RNLI.

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