Blind veteran to run 850 miles for charity

An army veteran is to attempt to become the first registered blind person to run 850 miles (1,367km) between Land's End and John O’Groats.

Darren Blanks, a former Hussar from Egremont in west Cumbria, lost his sight and some of his hearing after being diagnosed with a brain tumour 14 years ago when he was 23.

He said he planned to run about 30 miles (48km) every day for 28 days when he sets off from Land's End on Friday.

He is doing the challenge to raise money for the Visually Impaired Veterans Ski Club and said former military colleagues and friends would be supporting him.

The 37-year-old has been training with the help of charity fundraiser, Gary McKee, who described him as "an incredible young man".

Mr Blanks joined the Army when he was 16 and did two tours of Iraq when he was 18 and 20.

"I’ve been running marathons in London, Brighton and Boston, and now I’m moving on," he said.

"The club’s been going for over 40-years and every three years we need new headsets and battery packs, because of the cold.

"It’s about keeping the guys safe."

Mr McKee, who in 2022 ran a marathon every day for a year, said: "I think what Darren is doing is tremendous.

"He’s lost his sight but that's not stopping him doing the things he wants to do - he’s an incredible young man."

Follow BBC Cumbria on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].