A WALKER raising money for sufferers of a rare skin condition is travelling through the region this week.

Gary Blair is trekking from his home in Somerset to Alnwick, in Northumberland, to raise money for the epidermolysis bullosa (EB) charity DebRa.

Mr Blair, 40, was inspired to attempt the 500-mile walk after he saw the Boy Whose Skin Fell Off, a documentary made by North-East EB sufferer Jonny Kennedy, from Alnwick, who has since died.

Mr Blair took time out on Sunday to go for a drink with student Amy Livesey, 20, of Tunstall, near Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, who also has the condition.

Mr Blair, a systems engineer for IBM, has already raised £7,000.

He said: "After watching the programme, I could not believe such an awful condition existed.

"Alnwick is also my home town, and I felt a very strong link with Jonny.

"It was an incredible experience to meet Amy, who is so strong and does not let the condition beat her."

Mr Blair will be joined for the last 15 miles by Mr Kennedy's mother, Edna.

To sponsor him, go to www.justgiving.com/ walk2alnwick