A MAN is on a mission to walk around the UK to raise £10,000 for the RNLI.

Alex Ellis-Roswell, 21, listened to the call of the wild and took to the coastal path in August. His plan is to spend the next two years rough camping and walking around the 6,500 miles of the UK’s coastal path in a bid to raise money for the life-saving charity.

Alex said he wants to raise awareness of the amazing and heroic work that the RNLI volunteers do.

He started in Margate in Kent on August 3.

He stopped off at Weymouth and Portland Bill on his continuing journey towards Bridport and Lyme Regis.

Alex said he has always wanted to do something like this. He ran his own advertising business for three years and saved up money for the challenge.

Alex’s father Raymond sadly died at Christmas last year and part of the walk is in tribute to him.

He will be wild camping but will be accepting offers of sofas, beds or gardens to sleep in.

He said he has already met a huge number of very kind people. He said: “The RNLI is one of the charities that as a nation of isles is an essential charity. They rescue 23 people a day.”

Alex added that thousands of volunteers went out in all weathers to save lives.

He said: “There are still a lot of people that don’t realise it is a charity and relies on donations.”

He added: “The RNLI provides a service that we as a nation of islands could not do without.

“I’m amazed and inspired by the men and women I have met so far who put themselves into Britain’s most unforgiving environment to rescue strangers – these are modern-day heroes.”

After his two-year journey, Alex said he likes the idea of carrying on walking and maybe doing the pilgrim’s path to Jerusalem.

You can follow Alex’s progress via facebook.com/alexellisroswell or twitter.com/ellisroswell To donate to the RNLI visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/longwalkround