Giant giraffe puppet walking to Skegness

Puppeteer Sebastian Mayer controls the giraffe puppet with sticks

A man is walking an 11.5ft (3.5m) giraffe puppet named Zarafa from Grimsby to Skegness to raise money for a wildlife charity.

Sebastian Mayer is making the 53-mile (85km) journey to support the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.

As part of the challenge, he will be inside the carbon fibre and cardboard puppet that weighs 20lb (9kg).

Last year Mr Mayer walked 621 miles (1,000km), also with Zarafa, through France to recreate the journey of a real giraffe which trekked the route in the 1800s.

Mr Mayer told BBC Radio Humberside: "It's like the shell of a giraffe that's mounted on a backpack.

"I'm standing underneath it where its organs might be and then I'm walking the legs using my hands. Its legs are walking sticks."

The start of the walk was delayed because of high winds and rain, but man and beast are now making their way through Lincolnshire.

On Sunday, children in Grimsby town centre were invited to paint Zarafa and write messages on it.

The walk is due to finish at the weekend.

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