SpeedoMick takes Bognor by storm

“Bognor was great, man. I love Bognor. It’s absolutely beautiful.”

Those were the words of Michael Cullen or, as he is more popularly known, ‘SpeedoMick’: the intrepid Liverpudlian who is walking around the UK and Ireland in nothing but a pair of tight blue Speedos to raise money for charity.

It’s a 2,000 mile trek, all told, and will see him donating up to £250,000 to a variety of charities along the way.

With the major cities of Scotland, Wales and Ireland already behind him, and major cities like Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham still ahead, SpeedoMick said Bognor was a highlight of his trip so far.

“I got so much love walking through Bognor,” he said.

“Honestly, Bognor was one part of the country where loads of people came out to support me. People were constantly honking their horns at me, cheering me on.

“I was pleasantly surprised. A lot of people came out and a few of them walked along with me for a few miles.”

This isn’t the first time SpeedoMick has embarked on a journey of this calibre.

This year’s walk, dubbed ‘the giving back tour’ follows on from his 2019 walk, which raised more than £30,000 and saw SpeedoMick conquering more than 30 towns and cities across the UK.

For SpeedoMick, this year’s tour is about raising awareness of mental health issues and homelessness.

“I know how hard it is to come out on the other side. In my life, I’ve been in some dark, lonely, hopeless places,” he said, adding that he hopes his story inspires others facing down their own challenges in life.”