ADVENTURER Jason Lewis has been handed enough cash to finish his human-powered global circumnavigation after meeting actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman in the north African desert.

Mr Lewis, 38, from Askerswell, began his odyssey at the Greenwich Meridian in south-east London nearly 13 years ago - and has travelled 37,000 miles.

He set out on the African leg of his expedition at the end of March, having completed a 1,900-mile pedal boat voyage across the Arabian Sea from Mumbai in India to Djibouti, Ethiopia.

It was while he was cycling on the road to Wadi Haifa in northern Sudan that he met the two stars and their entourage. They were taking part in their latest Long Way Down expedition, from Scotland to Cape Town, when they met Jason.

He said: "I do not know who was more surprised to see who - me to see the first travellers on this highway for several weeks and with a vast entourage of support vehicles and camera crews in tow.

"Or Charley and Ewan to see this lone bicyclist in a desert region where people never usually travel unsupported because of the extreme heat, lack of water and possibility of attack from wild animals."

Before parting company the Long Way Down producers handed Mr Lewis £1,000 after learning about his failure to attract any sponsors from the United Kingdom.

It is the largest contribution from a UK source that Mr Lewis has received since departing Greenwich 13 years ago.

"It was like a windfall in the desert," said Jason.

"One minute I was riding along worrying about how I am going to find the money to complete the circumnavigation.

"The next minute I have been given enough to finish it, and in the middle of the Sahara Desert.

"I am hugely grateful to the Long Way Down team for their generous sponsorship.

"With big name actors like Ewan and Charley it is obviously easier to attract financial backing, and it is great that they were willing to share their budget a little.

"We have approached literally hundreds of UK companies and institutions over the years to gain backing for Expedition 360 but our solicitations have always been rejected.

"It seems that if you want to get an expedition funded these days you are better off being French, German, American or Canadian - anything but British."

Mr Lewis is now in Wadi Haifa, more than 2,000 miles from Djibouti - but still waiting to hear whether he will get a permit to kayak across Lake Nasser to Egypt to continue his odyssey.

He is still using the 15-year-old steel-frame bicycle on which he started the expedition.

After completing the African and Middle East sections to Istanbul in Turkey, Mr Lewis intends to ride across Europe and use his pedal boat Moksha to complete the circumnavigation by pedalling up the River Thames to the Greenwich Meridian late this October.

Since leaving London, in July 1994, he has used a variety of kayaks, mountain bikes, roller blades and a 26ft pedal boat to carry him round the world - and has already swum one river.

As well as visiting more than 800 schools since leaving England, the expedition has raised more than £30,000 for small-scale charitable causes along the way, such as orphanages and hospices for adults and children living with HIV and Aids.