A KEEN walker is set to take on a 300 mile charity ‘saunter’ to find the twin to his favourite pub.

Ian Thurman, 58, is set to walk from The Strathmore Arms, in Holwick, County Durham, to the only other pub to share the name in the country, in his home county of Hertfordshire.

Mr Thurman will start his 20-day journey on September 8 and hopes to visit pubs and breweries along the way in support of Prostates Cancer UK and his local hospice.

The former retail adviser, who retired in September, plans to walk about 20 miles a day with the aim of raising £3,000.

He will also be joined by friends and family for different stints of the journey which will see him walk along the Pennine Way and visit the home of the Bronte sisters before finishing the challenge with a drink in second Strathmore Arms with his wife, Maggie and children Amy and James.

“This is my post retirement crisis walk,” Mr Thurman joked.

“I have done quite a few walks but I was looking for a challenge and it just popped into my head.”

He added: “I have had a close friend and a work colleague who have both had prostate cancer so that was a very important charity in my mind but I have also done quite a few sponsored walks and runs for the local hospice so it’s always nice to do something for them.”

To sponsor Mr Thurman visit justgiving.com/Strathmoresaunter/