Former Royal Marine with prosthetic leg to take on 232 mile hike

A former Royal Marine with a prosthetic leg plans to walk 232 miles (373km) from Exeter to Cheshire, before taking part in a 300ft (91m) bungee jump.

Paul Vice, who trained at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines in Lympstone, Devon, sustained life-changing injuries in 2011 when he was caught in an IED blast while serving in Afghanistan.

Overcoming more than 400 wounds, he has since competed in the Invictus Games for injured servicemen and women.

Mr Vice’s latest mission has been inspired by a close friend’s battle with cancer and will raise funds for the Exeter-based Force cancer charity.

After years in remission, his friend’s illness returned and this prompted Mr Vice to take action.

“I was inspired by how he handled it,” he told BBC Radio Devon.

“It got me off the bench.”

Earlier this year, Mr Vice completed the Three Peaks Challenge, raising £5,000 for Force and he aims to raise £3,000 through this new feat.

“I wanted to do something that would really grab attention,” he said.

“Skydiving and wing walking didn’t quite fit, so I decided to walk the entire way to the bungee jump site, relying solely on the kindness of strangers for food and shelter.”

Reflecting on his recovery, Mr Vice said: “I’m not going to lie and say it was easy.

“It was a long road, but you don’t get through Marine training without having a bit of dogged determination hardwired into you.

“That mindset helped me get back on my feet, literally.”

He credits the camaraderie of fellow veterans and rehab partners for helping him through the toughest moments.

“You lean on each other when you’re dangerously low. That shared experience makes recovery bearable.”

Mr Vice also paid tribute to the families of service members, especially his own.

“The wives and families should be getting medals,” he said.

“We’ve got each other during rehab and surgeries, but they do it all on their own. I honestly don’t know how they do it – they’re superstars.”

Mr Vice’s walk will begin on 24 September and he has scheduled the bungee jump for 4 October.