Man takes old Land Rover on 4,000-mile coast trip

Derek Hernaman, 71, with his Series 1 Land Rover – which he has named George

A man has completed a charity challenge to drive a 69-year-old Land Rover 4,000 miles (6,400km) around the British coast.

Derek Hernaman set off from Lynmouth, Devon, on 8 March in his Series 1 Land Rover – with a 79-year-old, 6ft-square caravan in tow. He has named the pair George and Mildred after the 1970s sitcom.

The agricultural engineer from Exmoor said the challenge had helped him raise £12,000 for Bowel Cancer UK and the Alzheimer's Society.

Mr Hernaman, who set off his 71st birthday, said the journey had been an "absolute blast".

Mr Hernaman said he had averaged about 100 miles (160km) a day, and managed to reach the top of Scotland, London's Trafalgar Square and Land's End in Cornwall.

He was greeted by a convoy of about 50 other Land Rovers for the final leg of the journey between Blackmoor Gate in Exmoor and Lynmouth.

"It is amazing to get here. I've just told George not to break down in the last few miles," he said.

Mr Hernaman in his 6ft-square caravan, which he took all the way from Devon to Scotland

Mr Hernaman said despite a few breakdowns, the journey had been a lot of fun.

He added there had been a few scary moments to contend with on the roads.

"Coming down the A1 with lorries passing me at 60mph sent the Land Rover and caravan from one side to the other every few minutes," Mr Hernaman said.

"But everything else has been absolutely a blast."