WHEN it comes to clearing his head, former soldier Mark Walker has discovered there’s nothing quite like hitting the open road.

With his trusty bike, the dad-of-three can happily clock up a good 100 miles in a week.

Now, keen to do his bit to help other veterans, the 49-year-old is planning to cycle the length of Britain, taking in two Help for Heroes recovery centres along the way.

He will be joined on the 1,000-mile journey by support driver and fellow veteran Tam McKee - who has found his own form of therapy in throwing himself into the detail of organising a task.

“We have both suffered with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder,” said Mark from Northallerton.

“I realised that for me cycling helps to release some of the frustration and the anguish.”

Tam,a grandfather of five who also comes from Northallerton, said: “You have to develop ways of coping. A lot of that can be finding diversional techniques.

“I worked in logistics and transport in the infantry, so that’s where my comfort zone is.”

With both having received support from Help for Heroes and its Hidden Wounds group, they felt ready to give something back

The epic journey from John O’Groats to Land’s End will get underway on Sunday and Mark, a Prince’s Trust assistant team leader at Stockton Riverside College, admitted: “It seemed like a good idea but as it gets closer the nerves are setting in.”

Plotting in the two stop-offs at the recovery centres - Phoenix House in Catterick and Tedworth House in Tidworth - has added on a few extra miles but Mark insisted: "It will be a big challenge but I feel that I can do it."

Raising money for Help for Heroes and also the Prince’s Trust, the pair will share their progress with regular posts to Facebook.

And, hoping to raise as much money as possible, Mark and Tam - who both served full term careers in the Army - have organised a variety of fundraisers to help bring in the cash.

“Help for Heroes helped both of us,” said Tam.

“This is our chance to give something back.

“And on top of that we want to raise awareness that not all wounds are visible.”

The Help for Heroes' Hidden Wounds group helps provide support to current and ex-service personnel who are having to live with symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress or anger.

To sponsor Mark and Tam on their grand tour visit justgiving.com/fundraising/mark-walker78 or justgiving.com/fundraising/mark-walker79

You can also follow their progress on Facebook by searching for Mark and Tam’s Grand Tour.