Paratrooper arrives in the Channel Islands for coastal path challenge

• ITV Channel's Kate Prout put on her walking boots and joined the group

A former paratrooper is walking around the Channel Islands for the next week as part of his epic journey to walk the entire coastal path around the British Isles.

Chris Lewis found himself homeless after leaving the armed forces and five years ago decided to pull his boots on and start the 13,000-mile trip.

He wanted to raise money for the Armed Forces charity, SSAFA, and has so far made more than £250,000 for them.

Chris said: "Before I started this walk I suffered from anxiety and depression and they really helped me and were really intimate with me.

"So when I decided to do this walk I knew I wanted to do it for SSAFA and give something back to them for being so good to me and other veterans they help."

Over the past five years, Chris has not only seen some beautiful paths - he also met his fiancé Kate, and they welcomed their son Marcus, eight months ago.

The family have also welcomed their rescue dog Jet along the way.

Kate Barron, Chris' fiancé said: "I was wild camping and walking in the west of Scotland and when I went to the North East, I bumped into Chris at the bottom of a cliff. 

"I had to leave after one night due to work commitments, but we kept in touch and six weeks later, I gave up everything to join him.

"We just had so much in common and it felt like two souls who had the same dream about how to live their lives."

The family plan to walk the paths of Guernsey, Jersey, Sark, Herm and possibly Alderney before returning to the UK.

Their final leg of the challenge will take them from Dorset's Jurassic Coast around the West Country to Wales.

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