Former Royal Navy serviceman from Wigan completes gruelling canal challenge

A former Royal Navy serviceman who lives in Wigan has completed a gruelling canal challenge to raise money for a leading veterans’ charity.

Andrew Ledwith, from Standish, ran 36 miles along the towpath from Liverpool to Wigan in one marathon effort in aid of the Royal British Legion (RBL).

The challenge was to thank the organisation for the support it has given Andrew to do the qualifications he needs to work as a personal trainer.

Andrew set up a fitness business while he and wife Samantha were living in the south west of France but on returning to the UK found the course he had done there was not recognised.

The continental sojourn also put Andrew and Samantha on the nation’s small screens as they were featured on Channel 4 programme A New Life in the Sun.

Andrew, 39, who was joined on the run by Army friend Stewart McArdle, said the challenge went well and saw the pair raise £2,000 for the RBL.

Dad-of-one Andrew, who has a one-year-old child, said: “The run went well and it was warmer than we expected.

“I gave myself a time frame of between six and eight hours , so I was pleased to do it in in a time of 6:40:53 and raise the money. Andrew served in the Royal Navy for five years between 2001 and 2006 and has also worked in fire prevention.

He and Samantha then decided on a change of surroundings following the death of her father, who owned a house in the Lot Valley on the other side of the Channel, from cancer in 2015.

The couple decided to move back to the UK following the birth of their son Tobias, who is now 18 months old, as they did not want him to miss out on socialising with other children growing up in such a remote, rural location.