Campaigner and her mule take in Wigan's sights during a 1,000-mile fund-raising trek

Zoë Bicât is three-quarters of the way through a 1,000 trek with her trusty pack-mule Falco from her home in Oxford to Loch Lomond and back.

And over the last few days, the 49-year-old has taken in various sights and sounds of Wigan borough, including the Whelley Loop Line, Amberswood Common – where she was very grateful to local dog walker and “guardian angel” Emma Hill for helping them out of the woodland when hopelessly lost – and Bickershaw Country Park.

She has also been kindley offered overnight hospitality by Jane and Paul Cassin at Byrom Hall in Lowton.

Zoë is aiming to raise £10,000 to support Stop Ecocide International in its quest to progress a change in international law that would recognise mass destruction of the living world – or "ecocide” – as a crime.

The aim is to amended the Rome Statute governing international law so that severe, widespread and long-term offences against the living world are added to those investigated by the international criminal court in the Hague such as crimes against humanity.

Zoë said: “The key thing is that all big environmental matters are currently dealt with by civil law which means that those responsible for ecocide can usually pay their way out of trouble.

"For such matters to be dealt with by the criminal courts, it would be much harder to wriggle out of.

"If a state is a member of the international criminal court and they sign up to the ecocide law, they would have to make it part of their domestic legislation. Then heads of corporations and governments that commit ecocide can be held to account in a criminal court.”

Zoë chose Loch Lomond as her destination because it was where Polly Higgins QC, the barrister who co-founded Stop Ecocide International and dedicated her life’s work to advancing the creation of a new law of ecocide, grew up.

And she is in no great hurry to complete her journey.

She said: “We’ve been on the road for about six months now and probably have another two to go.

"We are certainly not taking in the most direct route. We are staying at farms, campsites and occasionally equestrian centres – places that can look after Falco for the night. I join Facebook groups and share information and this helps to raise the funds.

"And as far as Wigan has been concerned, I have found it fascinating, especially in that you can in one moment be somewhere urban and industrial and the next find yourself in beautiful countryside. It’s a lovely juxtaposition.”