Around the UK in just 84 hours

Oct 22 2007 By Steve Johnson, Birmingham Mail

A HOSEDOWN was the first thing on the agenda for two weary former firemen as they recovered after blazing a trail across the country on a marathon charity hitch-hike.

Keith Mellor, and 54, and Phil Pitt, 56, both from Oldbury, completed 1,701 miles in just 84 hours as they hitched rides on planes, trains and automobiles in memory of former fire service colleague Bob Barlow.

The two men set off last Monday from Wolverhampton's Compton Hospice and by late on Thursday night they were in Wolverhampton again, after travelling to Land's End, then onto John o'Groats and then back to the hospice.

It was an incredibe journey for the intrepid pair and Phil, from Tividale, said the first thing he wanted when he got back home was to dive into the shower.

"It was very tiring but well worth it for the money we have raised for the hospice, which was so good to Bob as he battled cancer.

"We ended up travelling 875 miles by road, 540 by plane and 286 by train.

"Incredibly we were at Land's End at 4.15 pm last Monday, after setting off from the hospice in a vintage fire engine just seven hours earlier.

"Everyone was absolutely fantastic. Our flight from Bristol to Inverness was sponsored by the Merry Maid pub in Highgate, Birmingham, and Virgin Trains got us back from Edinburgh to Wolverhampton.

"But apart from that everything else was done by road and motorists who picked us up along the way were superb.

"At one stage we hitched a ride with a guy who had just picked up his mate, just released from prison.

"The next car we had a ride in turned out to be a police car, which was quite ironic," added Phil.

Bob died in May, aged 48, and Keith and Phil said the care he received at Compton Hospice was "second to none."

"The hospice gave him the best possible care while allowing him to maintain his dignity.

"The journey was amazing and was only achieved in such a short space of time thanks to the incredible kindness shown by all the people who helped us along the way," they said.

Phil said that the sponsored hitch-hike had so far raised £6,500 for the hospice but money was still rolling in. People could still contribute by going to www.justgiving.com/BobBarlowFund

Keith and Phil were both former fire officers at Smethwick and Dudley stations and were close friends of Bob. The three worked together at Oldbury and were involved in many charity events together.