A walker charting a route of remembrance along Devon’s border received a £50 boost from Sidmouth’s branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) when he passed through the town.

Over 20 days, Steve Keane is ‘taking the long way round’, treading the coast path and following the county lines in Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset.

He met Sidmouth RBL branch chairman Dave O’Connor and a standard bearer last Thursday and received donations for the Poppy Appeal as they made their way along The Esplanade.

“If every beneficiary in Devon gave £1 we’d have £100,000 – please just give what you can and we would be grateful,” said Steve.

“£5,000 would be very nice. It’s all going to charity.”

The 63-year-old served with the Devon and Dorset Regiment for 26 years before working as the house manager at the Lookout in Branscombe. It was in the village that he was first introduced to the RBL and became its chairman.

He now lives in Exeter and works as a chauffeur for the Lord Mayor. Steve has twice traversed the South West Coast Path and was head-hunted by the RBL’s Carol Arnold for another fundraiser.