A PENSIONER will be taking part in a 100-mile walk to buy a special tandem bike for his grandson.

Brian Smith, of Barnard Castle, has signed up for the Teesdale Way challenge in a bid to raise £2,000 for the special needs bike.

His nine-year-old grandson, Joe Moyle, was born 15 weeks prematurely and lost his right hand and wrist.

He also suffers from cerebral palsy and autism.

The 66-year-old said he was originally only going to do part of the walk - which has been organised by The Northern Echo’s cricket and rugby correspondent, Tim Wellock - but decided to set himself the challenge of completing the whole trek so he could try to give his grandson the gift of riding a bike.

He said: “Joe was born at 23 weeks so he was rushed into hospital and during the chaos, as my daughter Claire was in London, he lost the lower part of his arm.

“He also has autism and a bit of cerebral palsy so mobility is not easy and I did not think he would be able to ride a bike.”

The retired businessman said he was looking forward to the walk even if was “not quite the Proclaimers’ 500 miles” and hoped family members would be able to join him for stints of the trek.

He is one of about 15 people who have signed up for the walk so far which will start on October 30.

It will initially follow the Pennine Way from Dufton to Langdon Beck, then on to Romaldkirk, Middleton-in-Teesdale and Gainford.

The group will then take a day’s rest before pressing on to Teesmouth, covering Hurworth, Yarm, and the big Sockburn loop.

They will then take on Middlesbrough before finishing with an 11-mile jaunt to South Gare breakwater.

Also completing the challenge will be Lynn Brentwood, of Staindrop, who wants to raise money for the Durham County Carers and Sunderland Carers centre who have helped her look after her husband, Trevor, who suffers from dementia.

The 57-year-old plans to do two stretches of the walk but said it would be "really fun".

Talking about the response to the walk, Mr Wellock said: "I am delighted that several people are prepared to challenge themselves to complete what I believe will be a superb walk and raise money for really good causes.

"A few more have said they will join in at various points along the route.

“It has been planned so that the most scenic stages are on the weekend of October 31 and November 1 and anyone is welcome to walk as many miles as they wish.

“Whether they raise money for charity is entirely up to them."

For more information email timwellock@aol.com