A charity fundraiser is expected to reach Lowestoft this month after already running 4,000 miles around the coast of mainland Britain.

Simon Clark, 57, is now tackling the edge of East Anglia as part of his 5,000-mile run in aid of Ecologia Youth Trust's work with disadvantaged youngsters.

Mr Clark, who aims to raise £20,000, set off from his home in Kinloss, Moray, last Easter.

With no support team and only a bivvy bag to sleep in, he runs from 15 to 30 miles per day, depending upon his workload, which he is keeping up with on his laptop in order to fund his journey.

His route has taken him up to John O'Groats and Scotland's wild Cape Wrath, down its midge-infested but magnificent west coast, around the edge of Cumbria and Merseyside, and along Wales' pioneering national coastal path.

As the nights drew in and the temperatures plummeted, he travelled the 600-mile-long South West Coast Path, before circumnavigating the Kentish coast with its famous white cliffs.

Without even a tent to shelter under, Mr Clark has endured some cold, wet nights but said he had been simply humbled by the kindness people had shown, from donating their spare change to gifting sandwiches and cups of tea or even opening up their doors to give him food and shelter for a night.

Inspired by Rosie Swale Pope's Just a Little Run Around the World, Mr Clark is following the edge of mainland Britain, to test his own limits.

At the same time, he is dedicating his journey of self-discovery to supporting Ecologia Youth Trust's work with neglected and orphaned children facing their own tough challenges.

He said: 'Giving - no doubt at times, grinding out - effort to benefit youngsters who have less fortuitous circumstances than mine seems the least I can do, and the thought of carrying and needing very little, while asking others to give a lot to improve the lives of children seems the best of affairs.'

Mr Clark's current position can be found on a live map at www.ecologia.org.uk/run-around-britain.

Videos and photographs are available on his blog, www.facebook.com/remembersimon.

Visit www.ecologia.org.uk to learn more about the charity and www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/justaLittleRun to support Mr Clark.