Wildlife charity trekkers thank city for kindness

Indy Kiemel Greene and Katie Monk are walking from Land's End to John O'Groats

Two wildlife enthusiasts who are walking hundreds of miles for a marine conservation charity have thanked people who helped them in Wolverhampton.

Indy Kiemel Greene, 18, and Katie Monk, 20, arrived in the city on Monday after a 22 mile (35km) trek from Bewdley, Worcestershire, on route to John O'Groats.

They have arranged to camp for free for most of the trip but "put a shout out on Twitter" for a night's accommodation in Wolverhampton after struggling to find somewhere, Mr Greene said.

He said Lesley and Martin Burrow responded and gave them a night at their home and dinner.

Mr Greene added a canal boat in the city had carried their bags for part of the route, while boat trippers donated to their GoFundMe page.

He said they had "been blown away by the kindness of people" on the journey from Land's End.

"One of the big things we are really enjoying about this walk is just meeting genuinely lovely people," Mr Greene said.

Indy Kiemel Greene and Katie Monk have been charting their wildlife spots along the route from Land's End

They have so far raised about £5,000 for the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust.

They stopped in Wolverhampton on day 33 of their 107 day trek, which takes in the the Pennine Way and the Hebrides.

Mr and Mrs Burrow responded to the couple's appeal for accommodation and dropped them off to continue their journey the next day.

"They even provided dinner and breakfast and it was nice to have a good bed after not being very comfortable camping," Mr Greene said.

Ms Monk, from Edinburgh, an ecology and conservation student, and Mr Greene, who studied countryside management, met as members of the RSPB Youth Council.

They have been spotting birds and other wildlife along the route and sharing videos about their observations on social media.

Mr Greene, from Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, who won a national conservation award aged 16, said he enjoyed the canal walk in Wolverhampton.

"It was very nice and flat and we have seen kingfishers and signs of water voles," he said.

"There's been grey herons and a lot of lovely ducks and geese."