Intends pulling boat ten miles

A MAN is intent upon pulling his 45ft narrowboat 10 miles along the Bridgewater Canal to raise funds for charity.

The 58 years old John Hickson will set out on the morning of Saturday 6th August and undertake to pull his estimated 12 tons boat 10 miles in just 12 hours, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Single handed

He hopes to pull Jus Chillin single handedly from Lymm to Stretford along the Bridgewater Canal in his challenge to raise £10,000 shared between the two charities Diabetes UK and The Christie.

John has been an insulin dependent diabetic since the age of seven, with his friend, Rusty Fearnley, who will be steering the narrowboat, is currently battling leukaemia, so both have experience of the work the charities do.

Never done before

He will start his pull at Lymm Cruising Club and hopes to eventually arrive at his destination Stretford Watch House Cruising Club, where he is a member, telling The Messenger:

"It's never been done before—this distance. Last year someone did a mile and a half but this is very different.

"It's not going to be easy—I'll be going at about one mile an hour. But I have said it and that's it, I'm going to do it."

Being busy getting sponsorship, though he admits he hasn't had much luck with businesses already committed to their own charities, he has not had any time to train. If anyone feels they can offer sponsorship he asks that they ring him on  07999551182.

To make a donation visit justgiving.com/fundraising/john-hickson or text BOPU58 to 70070.