A FORMER soldier from Maldon is set to walk 1,000 miles in late September for a baby and infant hospice.

Brian Hearn grew up in Great Totham, where his mum still lives.

He went to Plume School in Maldon.

He left school in 1976 and joined the British Army where he served for five years.

After a few truck-driving jobs, Brian decided to work in Australia in the mid-1980s, where he then stayed.

He spent 12 years with the West Australian Police, but left the force in 2007 due to spinal injuries.

As a keen darts player, he got back into the game and started playing in Australia and across Europe.

Brian walked for the charity Heart of Darts in 2017, going a distance of 501 miles to compete in the British Classic, and walking between the Lakeside World Championship and World Masters.

He became the first person to walk between two of the oldest dart competitions in the world.

Now Brian is planning another charity walk, with a start point in Maldon.

He said: "As I grew up there, I am in the planning another charity walk and this time a distance of 1,000 miles.

"As Maldon has a history dating back more than 1,000 years and I grew up there, I decided the walk will start and finish there, heading to Wales, up to Lockerbie in Scotland and back down the East coast."

The former soldier has been planning the walk for more than a year.

"This I am doing on behalf of Glen Durrant, star dart player and 3-time world darts champion.

"It is in aid of Zoë’s Place, a Baby and Infant hospice in Middlesbrough."

Zoë’s Place provides palliative, respite and end-of-life care to babies and infants.

Organising a flight back to the UK has been difficult for Brian, but he has finally been granted an exemption to leave Australia.

"I have booked the earliest flight possible with Singapore Airlines to leave, which is September 23.

"All booked and paid,  I am going to isolate in a back garden until I'm cleared to leave just to be safe, so I hope to start the walk late September.

"Not ideal as I will do some winter walking so just as well I have been training in the mountains here.

"The only danger now is getting to Melbourne airport without them cancelling my travel, but when airborne all will be good."

He also thanked Glen Durrant, Jamie Hughes, Matthew Ward, and Matthew Woodberry of Woodies Sports for their help over the last 18 months to sort out the 1,000-mile walk, and his aunt Lynda Bailey for her support.

People can follow Brian's progress on facebook.com/brianhearn1000.

Brian has started a Go Fund Me page as part of the fundraiser.