A WAR veteran is walking from Cumbria to London to raise funds for three amazing charities in line with Remembrance Day and in memory of the late Queen. 

Lance Corporal Mark Harding served with 1st Battalion Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment for 16 years, mostly as a sniper with the reconnaissance platoon - and served within Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Whilst serving in Afghanistan, Mark was struck by a sniper bullet which left him with severe injuries to the spinal cord and paralysed from the neck down.

Now mobile again, Mark looks to give back to the charities that have done so much for him.

Speaking from Burnley and on his fourth day and operating on about 8 hours sleep, Mark said: "It's not about the distance, it's about how many hours you do in a day. 

"I want to do this walk for the for the Soldiers that haven’t come home. We have all got good mates who haven’t come back, I am doing this for them and also for our late Queen who served us for 70 years.

"For all soldiers that have given the ultimate sacrifice to serve Queen Elizabeth II, I want to pay tribute to them and our Late Queen Elizabeth II, the people’s Queen. 

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"With your help, I’ll be raising funds for three amazing charities which are; The ABF Soldiers Charity, Walking with the Wounded and CFM Cash for Kids. Also for a hostel, Calderwood House, that need much help with renovation costs and new furniture. 

"Whilst walking from Cumbria to London for Remembrance day, I’ll be flying our late Queen’s flag as tribute to her reign and service to us all. I'll be flying that flag all the way down to London, and when we get to London, we'll swap that flag for one with Prince Charles," he said.

Steven Ford, Mark's friend and brother bonded by uniform, dropped everything to join Mark for a few days on the journey to Macclesfield once he had seen on Facebook he had started the huge undertaking. 

"I was with Mark when he got injured, to come 12 years further on now, to see where he is now to where he was back then, it's incredible," Steven said. 

Earlier this year, Mark, of Wigton, started a new initiative called Project Belief, to benefit two charities Walking With The Wounded and ABF The Soldiers Charity. 

Mark will be walking in the name of Walking With The Wounded, CFM Radio’s Cash for Kids and The ABF Soldiers Charity. 

Click on the links above if you would to donate. 

READ MORE: Mark Harding's meeting with the Queen and King Charles