Blind footballers start 120-mile walk to Wembley

The group are striving to raise £30,000 for the Albion Foundation, the charitable arm of West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich Albion's blind football team has set out on a 120-mile charity walk from Wembley Stadium to the Hawthorns.

Joined by prolific fundraiser Dave Heeley, known as "Blind Dave", the group started their five-day trek on Monday.

The group is hoping to raise £30,000 for the football club's charity, the Albion Foundation.

Director of the foundation, Rob Lake, is part of the challenge and is putting himself in the players' shoes by wearing a blindfold for the entirety of the challenge.

Mr Lake said: "I wanted to understand more what it's like to be like 'Blind Dave' and the players and to do something of endurance with no visual stimulus.

"I know it's going to give me a sense of gratitude and a sense of perspective on life.

"It's going to be really tough, but I'm really fortunate that I can take my blindfold off at the end of the day. Dave can't and our players can't."

Mr Heeley has raised more than £3m for the Albion Foundation over the years and became the first blind person to run seven marathons across seven continents in seven days.

Mr Lake added: "I want to do this walk because of Dave. He's become my hero and my inspiration.

"Over the years, I've got to know him and he's just an incredible person, and I've learnt a lot from him.

"He's done so much for the foundation, for me, raised so many funds and I feel like I need to show him how much he means to me and the foundation."

Mr Lake is encouraging people to take part in their own Blind Walk and walk a mile while blindfolded.

The Albion Foundation is encouraging people to showcase their efforts on social media and said it would share the best posts.