Belfast-born barrister Stephen Brown has become the first man from the UK to complete the 615-mile Monarch’s Way trek from Worcester to Brighton.

Mr Brown, from Dunmurry but now living in Sheffield, completed the 14-day challenge in 13 days, 10 hours, 26 minutes and 24 seconds.

He was the only successful UK participant out of 11 people striving to complete the route, based on a journey taken by King Charles II during his escape from Cromwell in 1651, the Belfast Telegraph reports.

Mr Brown came third after Oriol Antola Sarrau from Italy and Chris Yeo from Singapore, but is the only UK man to complete the journey.

He said: “The furthest anyone had got to date was 400 odd miles and all 11 of us this year had our eye on trying to be the first to finish it.”

The triumphant barrister was met at the finish line by wife Nicola and children Paddy, Rosa and Clara.