A fruit and vegetable grower is on track to complete an epic charity trek along the Pyrenees tomorrow afternoon.

East Anglian Daily Times: Jack Rosenthal in the PyreneesJack Rosenthal in the Pyrenees (Image: Archant)

Jack Rosenthal, 66, of 30-acre Reckford Farm, Middleton, near Leiston, set off on a 500 mile solo trek across the Pyrenees from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterrean in September and is now on his 48th day in the mountain range.

He has so far raised about £3,500 towards his target of £5,000 for the Somersham Ward Support Group at Ipswich Hospital. His daughter, Lizzie, now 24, became severely ill with leukemia three years ago and was treated there, as well as at Addenbrooke’s hospital, where she was given a stem cell transplant after two possible matches were found for her.

Although touch-and-go for a while, Lizzie survived, and her grateful dad asked her to nominate a charity for him to support.

If he completes his walk along the Atlantic-Mediterranean GR10 route on schedule, he expects to arrive at the sea tomorrow afternoon.

East Anglian Daily Times: Jack Rosenthal in the Pyrenees approaching the end of his charity trekJack Rosenthal in the Pyrenees approaching the end of his charity trek (Image: Archant)

After he gets there he says he is looking forward to a meal with family and friends, and a well-earned rest with clean towels and a bed with clean sheets at a hotel.

“It’s been very hard. It’s certainly the hardest physical thing I have ever done,” he said.

“We have been very lucky with the weather. We have only had about three days of rain and a couple of big storms but nothing too desperate.”

Yesterday, he had his first clear view of the Mediterranean, he said.

He was joined at different parts of the journey by friends and family, including his eldest daughter, Hollie.

Bill Goodacre, a retired agronomist based at Carlton near Saxmundham, joined him briefly but had to turn back after pulling a hamstring.

“It’s quite an achievement,” he said of Jack’s walk. “He’s done an amazing job really, especially this latter part when the refuges (for overnight stays) are closing down.”

If you would like to support Jack, please go to: www.justgiving.com/Jack-RosenthalC2C/