A FORMER soldier turned North-East restaurateur is making a 3,500 mile round road trip to deliver aid to Syrian refugees.

Steve Watson, who owns Oodles of Noodles in Consett, County Durham, is setting off for the border of Hungary and Serbia later this month.

The father-of-three was so moved by images of thousands of people fleeing the war torn country to the EU that he has decided to do whatever he can to help.

The 53-year-old, of Shotley Bridge, said: “I have got young children and it is not possible to see what we are seeing and not do something.

“We must remember it was only 70 years ago there was a mass exodus of people around Europe as a result of the Second World War and it has not done us any harm, in fact it has enriched us.

“We need to be less worried about outsiders and get off our backsides to help because we are a global village now.”

He served in the British Army for 14 years and was an intelligence officer in Northern Ireland, Eastern Europe and Central America.

He is married to Atchari, 41, and the couple have three children, Ning, 18, Annie, nine and four-year-old Bobby.

Mr Watson, chairman elect of the Royal British Legion Consett and District Branch, said his army training means he should be safe during his mercy mission across Europe.

“I don't have any real concerns about the journey. It is going to be planned in a military style manner. We are not going into areas, which are risky, and we are going through Western Europe and it is very safe. The few concerns I do have are outweighed by the fact it needs to be done.”

He and co-driver Eddie Bennett, of Medomsley, plan to leave in the early hours of September 19 and the trip, through Calais, Cologne, Ulm, Lintz and Budapest, will take two days.

He plans to spend a day unloading at the Szeged refugee camp before the two day drive home.

“Some people have said I should just stop at Calais, but it is mostly men there and I want to help the women and children who need it most.”

Mr Watson is looking for donations of dried foods like cup-a-soup, coffee, skimmed milk and baby food, nappies, first aid kits, anti bacterial gel, mosquito repellent, plastic plates, cups and cutlery, toothpaste, toothbrushes and sanitary towels.

People can drop stuff at his Seymour Street restaurant in Consett and there are also collections being held in Gateshead and Consett.

Apple Blossom Day Nursery in Sunderland has donated use of its van for the trip.

Mr Watson has set up crowdfunding.justgiving.com/steve-watson to get cash support for fuel. To arrange donations in Corbridge log on to: facebook.com/laurie.crow?fref=nf and in Gateshead log on to: facebook.com/ele.brown.1