When Ottery man Adam Williams set out on a 40-mile fundraising walk it was with a sense of trepidation and great joy.

For although a gruelling trek lay ahead of him, he had the consolation that his 65-year-old father, who he had not seen for 18 months because of the pandemic, was by his side for the first nine-mile stretch.

Adam was raising money for the Devon Air Ambulance as a debt of gratitude.
The flying medics had come to the aid of his father, Richard, after he fell off his bike and knocked himself unconscious.
Adam said: “On the 28th of December 2013 my dad was found unconscious on a back lane about five miles from home.
“He had gone out for a cycle ride, hit a patch of ice and crashed. He was found by a farmer who initially believed him to be dead.
“Fortunately the Devon Air Ambulance attended and flew him quickly to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where he was treated for four breaks to his collarbone, two broken ribs and, most seriously, a bleed on the brain, despite the fact he was wearing a cycle helmet.
“If it wasn't for the Devon Air Ambulance, I fear we would have lost him that day.”

To say thank you, Adam set himself the challenge of walking the 40 mile East Devon Way in one day.
The endeavour was made even tougher due to the fact he contracted Lyme disease just six weeks before his epic fundraiser.
Adam, who works as a plumber, said: “At first I thought I’d been bitten by a spider as my leg blistered up. I went to the hospital and was sent away with some antibiotics but a week later things were no better and so I booked in to see my GP who delivered the bad news. It was tough. I was completely wiped out, right at the time I needed to be training.”
However, despite his setbacks, Adam completed the walk in 16 hours, with breaks, and smashed his initial fundraising target of £400 with the current running total standing at £1,666.

Adam paid tribute to his fiancée Lucy Childs and several friends who joined him along the way and helped to keep him motivated.
One of them was his childhood friend and now boss Paul Broughton, two other friends Mark Perryman and Stephanie Pring and Annabel Collas, who was there for the last stretch.
“They were all fantastic but without Annabel I wouldn’t have made it,” Adam admitted.
“At 37.5 miles I sat on a rock on Woodbury Common and said ‘I can't go any further. I can't make it’. But she was having none of it and spurred me on to reach the end.”

It was fitting that Adam raised money for the Devon Air Ambulance as the charity was started after a very similar incident to the one which inspired his walk.
In 1986, Ann Thomas' son Ceri was tragically killed in an accident in which he was knocked from his bike. When she asked what could have saved her son, she was told that the quicker a patient receives treatment the better their chance of survival. This stayed with Ann and she launched the 'Ceri Thomas Appeal' to raise funds to get an Air Ambulance in Devon.
On 27 August 1992 Devon's Air Ambulance flew its first mission. Prior to this, the crew and helicopter landed on Exeter's Cathedral Green for a blessing by the Bishop of Exeter.
In 2005, a cycling accident left 17 year-old, Tom Staniford, with similar injuries to those suffered by Ceri Thomas almost 20 years earlier. Tom was airlifted to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Wonford, Exeter. Despite arresting twice in the aircraft he went on to make a full recovery.

You can still donate to Adam’s fundraising page by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/adam-williams68?utm_source=sms&utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=adam-williams68&utm_campaign=pfp-sms&utm_term=02ccd26ac14341c5aa1e928113c681e7

Sidmouth Herald: Adam with his fiancée Lucy ChildsAdam with his fiancée Lucy Childs (Image: Adam Williams)

Sidmouth Herald: Adam is joined by his friend Mark Perryman for a stint of his long walkAdam is joined by his friend Mark Perryman for a stint of his long walk (Image: Adam Williams)

Sidmouth Herald: Steph Pring gives Adam some moral supportSteph Pring gives Adam some moral support (Image: Adam Williams)

Sidmouth Herald: Paul Broughton puts on his boots to join Adam for a walkPaul Broughton puts on his boots to join Adam for a walk (Image: Adam Williams)

Sidmouth Herald: Annabel Collas got Adam over the finish line of his 40-mile walkAnnabel Collas got Adam over the finish line of his 40-mile walk (Image: Adam Williams)

Sidmouth Herald: Adam's 40-mile journeyAdam's 40-mile journey (Image: Stava)

Sidmouth Herald: Adam and his dad Richard WilliamsAdam and his dad Richard Williams (Image: Adam Williams)

Sidmouth Herald: Adam and his dad Richard WilliamsAdam and his dad Richard Williams (Image: Adam Williams)