A police officer is limbering up for a 150-mile trek to support injured soldiers and their families.

Paul Sullivan, 55, who now works across Bradford district but has policed central Keighley for many years, will follow a well-trodden pilgrimage route from Porto Cathedral in northern Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. The sponsorship cash he raises will go towards the charity Help for Heroes.

“I haven’t walked this sort of distance for two or three years so I’m a bit out of practice,” he said.

“I’ll take it steady at the beginning, and I won’t have a massive back-pack. I’ll be carrying the absolute minimum.”

Mr Sullivan’s son, Jacob, is a gunner in the Royal Air Force Regiment. He is a former South Craven School pupil and has already completed one tour of Afghanistan. He is due to return to the war-torn region again in April or May next year.

Mr Sullivan said he had been deeply impressed by Help for Heroes’ work, even before his own son joined the military. He aims to complete his latest challenge between September 4 and 14. Visit bmycharity.com/goodwillwalk to sponsor him.