BAE-honoured engineer inspires UK coastline challenge

Carol Deytrikh-White and her husband John have committed themselves to the fundraising mission to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

This is because Carol's previous partner Alex Deytrikh died as a result of the illness in 2009, a condition that also claimed the life of her brother Brian in 2022.

Read more: Barrow stop-off for couple walking the UK coast for charity | The Mail (nwemail.co.uk)

The pair arrived in Barrow on Friday, September 6 before covering the 13.9 miles to Kirkby-in-Furness in the 'hot, glorious sunshine'.

Carol has been undertaking the challenge on and off since 2018, alongside her partner John (Image: Submitted)

Carol said: "We are both excited as this portion of the trip will see us walk into Scotland, which is another milestone for us.

"We were never sure we would get this far when we first started at Blakeney in Norfolk."

As part of the challenge, Carol and John have now walked over 3,000 miles, a journey that started in 2018 that they now do weeks at a time through their retirement.

Carol and John are raising money for the MNDA (Image: Submitted)

After such a lengthy endeavour, there is still room for them to be surprised by the generosity of locals, which they found during their time in Cumbria.

Carol added: "We were assisted by two, wonderful local gentleman, who helped us navigate through the very indistinct paths along the estuary."

Their fundraising efforts have an added link to Barrow, with the fact that Alex Deytrikh, a former Air Commodore of the Royal Air Force, was recognised by BAE.

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Six months after his death, BAE recognised their close working connection with Alex by renaming the Typhoon Support Centre at RAF Coningsby to The Deytrikh building.

The plaque created by BAE in honour of Alex at RAF Coningsby (Image: Submitted)

For Carol and John, it is Alex and Brian's memories that are inspiring them to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

"The only way there is ever going to be any treatment for it, and God willing a cure one day, is for research to take place," said Carol.

"But because it doesn't affect a lot of people, it's difficult to get the funds for that research."

You can donate to the couple's efforts by visiting their fundraising page here, which has seen them approach their current £4,000 target.