A FORMER naval officer from Newquay is taking part in a charity endurance race across the country.

Louis Gardner is competing in the Race Across The UK from Dartmouth to Inverness in Scotland in aid of the Royal Navy and Marines Charity between October 6 and 9.

The former councillor will be joined by his friend Rich Harrison from Grimsby to make up one of 30 teams taking part in the event, which is designed to test resourcefulness while raising vital funds to support Naval families facing hardships, mental health struggles, or life-altering injuries.

Teams must rely entirely on public transport, walking, cycling or hitchhiking meaning trains, buses and ferries are permitted while cars, planes and map apps are banned.

They are armed with a modest, fixed budget of £500 and what they can physically carry on their backs to manage food, shelter, and transit.

Participants must navigate to secret checkpoints and unlock locations and log proof of arrival by cracking clues and solving riddles along the route.

Mr Gardner and Mr Harrison have already received support from friends, shipmates and colleagues, and will be sharing their journey through social media to help raise even more funds. Their name, Open Perspective, combines the names of Open Skies Network and Perspective Financial Group, recognising the generous support of both organisations, who have provided paid volunteering leave to enable them to take part.

Mr Gardner, who served 20 years in the Royal Navy Submarine Service, has experienced firsthand during his Royal Navy career the support the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity provides.

He said: “Race Across the UK gives us the opportunity to step outside our comfort zones, test ourselves physically and mentally, and raise money for a charity that gives so much back to the Naval community. It reminds us that once you're part of the Navy, you're never alone."