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Long way home for Paul and Meg
Charity trekker's little dog is his only company
IF in the past week you've spotted a weary-looking man carrying a little black dog, studying a map and rubbing his feet, the chances are it was Paul Burgum.
Paul, 30, is walking almost the length of England, from Portsmouth to Billingham in Co Durham, to raise money for a young boy with four-limb cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
He began the gargantuan trek on Saturday March 6, on Hayling Island, and estimates it will take him another two weeks to reach the end of his 450-mile challenge.
And by his side, but mostly strapped to his front to save her little legs, is his faithful Patterdale terrier, nine-year-old Meg.
At the end of last week he arrived in Luton, where The Luton News caught up with him at the Putteridge Bury B&B to find out what was driving him to complete the mammoth trek.
"I gave up my job as a carpenter six months ago after I had a nervous breakdown," he said. "The recession had hit the building trade and I had just split up with my wife and bought a second home just as the property market crashed. My body just said, 'I've had enough.'
"I've built my life back up again and realised that working for charity is what makes me happy, not making money.
"This is all about proving that even if you've had problems you can still achieve great things."
Paul has already met plenty of interesting characters along the way, including actor Martin Clunes, who was shooting a new series of Reggie Perrin when Paul stumbled onto the Pinewood Studios site as he crossed Buckinghamshire.
And Alison Balfour-Lynn, owner of the Putteridge Bury B&B in Lilley Bottom, was more than happy to give him a bed for free when she heard he was setting off towards Luton from Watford on Thursday morning.
She said: "Paul's friend asked whether we could spare a spot on the floor, and I said we could do much better than that. He turned up looking slightly the worse for wear and hobbled in. I've told he should stay an extra night so that he can have a proper rest, and then I sent him up the pub."
To sponsor Paul and keep up to date with his progress, visit www.blackmeg.co.uk
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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