Prince Harry welcomes 'walking wounded' after 1,000-mile trek

A group of wounded Afghanistan veterans has been welcomed by Prince Harry at Buckingham Palace after completing a 1,000-mile UK trek for charity.

Six ex-military personnel have been walking for 72 days since starting the journey in Moray in August.

They have twice been joined by Prince Harry for different sections of the route, and by other wounded personnel.

The challenge was aimed at raising money for the Walking With the Wounded charity.

The charity supports injured members of the armed forces trying to regain their independence through employment.

'Epic' journey

The Walk of Britain has seen the veterans reach the summit of four peaks - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Snowdon and Pen Y Fan.

They walked along The Mall in London towards Buckingham Palace for the final leg of the journey, and were joined by their partners and children.

The veterans were greeted on the forecourt of the palace by the prince, who described the walk as "formidable" and "epic".

Prince Harry joined the veterans for sections of the walk earlier this year

Prince Harry came out to meet the veterans on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace

The veterans were joined by family friends and supporters as they entered the palace

The route has taken the former servicemen and women 72 days to complete

Prince Harry described the walk as "formidable"

In September Harry joined the team of four Britons and two Americans for a 17-mile leg which took them through Shropshire.

Among the group are victims of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan, two of whom suffered traumatic brain injuries and another who lost an eye.

One of the group, Alec Robotham, is a 29-year-old former Royal Marine who was left with arm and leg injuries after being struck by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2010.

He welcomed Harry's presence on the walk and said the pair had enjoyed "everyday chat" about military life.

Harry has supported the charity since it was formed, taking part in a trek to the North Pole in 2011 and South Pole in 2013. He was also patron of its Everest expedition in 2012.