A TEA fanatic who has challenged himself to drink a cuppa in each of the UK arrived in Darlington for a brew.

Malcolm Watt, from Bristol, began his challenge five years ago in an effort to see more of his home country.

There is no charity aspect to the challenge and 36-year-old Mr Watt has paid for all of his own travel and fit in trips around his work and home life.

He only has a few more places to visit and hopes to complete the challenge this year.

Having enjoyed a cup of milky tea at the King’s Hotel, in Priestgate, he was thereby able to tick off County Durham, as the unitary borough of Darlington falls within the ceremonial county.

Mr Watt enjoyed some of the region’s scenic highlights during his visit – including Whitby and Hadrian’s Wall.

While in Darlington, he learned about the fans’ takeover of Darlington FC last year and the Arthur Wharton Foundation, dedicated to the first black professional footballer, which is based in the town.

Mr Watt, who works for Royal Mail, said: “The idea behind the challenge is that so many people jet off to all these faraway destinations, but what percentage of the population has actually been all the different parts of our country?”

A number of rules govern the challenge, including that he must travel on public transport and try to avoid mainstream tea and coffee retailers where possible.

For updates on the challenge, follow Mr Watt on Twitter - @AlwaysdrinkingT