A charity fundraiser has recruited a 79-year-old Harwich resident to walk through the Shotley Peninsula as she completes her Britain-Ireland trek for Alzheimer's Research UK.

Charlie is the latest person to help Karen Penny in her quest to become the first woman to circumnavigate the 20,000km of the British and Irish coastline and its islands.

"It makes such as difference when you're able to spend time with someone from the area who knows all the places," the 55-year-old said.

Dementia has had a profound impact on the Welsh woman's family, losing both her husband Mark Faulkner's parents to the disease, and she has already raised more than £80,00 in the last two years since starting her journey.

The tent sleeper has had to stop twice since 2020 due to the pandemic but hopes to reach Felixstowe by the end of today (Wednesday, June 2). After that, she will have to interrupt her journey once more to get her second vaccine jab, and then it's back to Suffolk to travel through the east coast and onto Norfolk.

East Anglian Daily Times: Karen Penny in Clacton on Sea before she reached the Shotley PeninsulaKaren Penny in Clacton on Sea before she reached the Shotley Peninsula (Image: Karen Penny)

If you want to donate to Mrs Penny please see here justgiving.com/fundraising/thepennyrollson.