THIS weekend marks the start of ‘Mark’s Walk of Madness,’ which will see the owner of Haslemere’s GU27 beauty salon complete a punishing 1,200 mile walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise £5,000 for Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support.

To top it all off, Mark Harris has treated himself to a multi-coloured Mohican to make sure his epic challenge does not go unnoticed and he can drum up more donations for two charities very close to his heart, having lost friends and family recently to the ‘horrendous’ disease.

Mark, who sets out on Saturday morning, said: “I’ve run a couple of marathons in the dim and distant past, but I know that this loathsome plodding is no good for my 53-year-old body and so I will just walk the 1,200 miles.

“I am walking the longer route, via the South West Coastal Path and all the lumpy and bumpy bits of England and Scotland, missing out Wales, as I don’t like fog, rain or sheep.

“I am attempting this walk, solo, unaided, and in 60 days.

“I will travel to Penzance and then by bus to Land’s End. I intend to camp wild half the time and youth hostel it, the rest.

“I have a local company designing a flag and T-shirts which list my sponsors.

“I will wear the shirts on the walk and film the flag at suitable landmarks.

“My customers love my hair cut and they all think I’m going through a mid-life crisis.

“I forget I’ve got the Mohican, then realise I look like an idiot.”

Mark, who is a big Portsmouth football fan, will record his journey by camera, drone, phone, blog and plans to write a book.

He’s also hopeful it could make a good TV documentary.

nAll donations gratefully received at www.go fundme.com/markswalkof madness