A man who is walking 7000 miles along the coast of the UK picking up litter has made it to the South Hams.

Wayne Dixon, 46, and his dog, Koda have travelled over 3000 miles along the coast of the UK picking up litter and raising awareness about the country’s litter problem, along with raising money for two charities, Mind, the Mental Health Charity, and the Northern Inuit Rescue Society.

Wayne, who was born and bred in Blackburn, Lancashire, is now following a lifelong dream of his to walk the coast of Britain. His dream stems from his own love of hill walking and hiking, as well as plans to do this trip with his late father, John Dixon.

Wayne and John bonded through their love of adventure, and did many walking holidays together, including parts of the South West Coast Path. Their plans to fulfil Wayne’s dream together fell through, however, when John died from a heart attack in 2012 at age 63.

Just ten days before his passing, John brought home a rescue pup, a grey and white Northern Inuit. Wayne adopted Koda, who helped him through the grief in dealing with his father’s passing.

“I’d like to think he was sent to us for a reason,” Wayne says of the six-year-old dog.

With no wife, kids or other attachments, Wayne decided to quit is job as a leaving care worker, and complete the 6,824 mile feat him and his father had planned. Now with Koda, he feels as though his dad is walking with him.

Wayne started litter-picking about a year before setting off on his trek around the country.

He explained: “Society’s extreme disconnect from our planet - our home - really hit me.”

He then decided that he would clean up rubbish to raise awareness along his journey of the coast. Since his departure on February 1, 2016, he estimates that he has filled about 50 tons (6,000 bags) of litter.

Wayne said: “It’s about being aware of your immediate surroundings. People just walk past rubbish, even when it’s right outside their door. You see these stunning houses with beautiful yards and expensive cars outside their home, but then the street is just lined with litter.

“I feel like we’re so lucky to live in such a beautiful place with generally a good, working bin collection system, but we just take advantage of it. It’s all about improving where you live, because at the end of the day, it’s all we’ve got.”

He has received awards from organisations such as Keep Britain Tidy, Keep Wales Tidy and the Point of Light award from the Prime Minister.

The two charities Wayne is raising money for along his journey are the mental health charity, MIND, and the Northern Inuit Rescue Society.

Wayne chose MIND because his father suffered from bipolar disorder for many years before he died, making him vulnerable and subject to verbal and physical abuse. No one had come forward to give him help and support, or to notify his family when he needed it most. With his father’s sudden death and finding out how much he’d suffered before he died, life became difficult for Wayne, who also suffered from depression.

Though he was in a dark place, Wayne was able to pull through with the help of Koda, and was determined more than ever to complete their goal in memory of his dad.

“In a way, he saved my life,” Wayne said of Koda.

Wayne is also supporting the NIRS as a way of giving back to the charity, which is completely run by volunteers. When John brought Koda home before he died, Koda was seven months old, confused and very hard work.

Wayne’s mum found the Inuit Society, who Wayne says “were brilliant, they gave us a lot of support and training. We really struggled with him at first, and would not have been able to manage it if it weren’t for the people linked to the society.”

Weighed down by 50lbs of kit, carrying a tent, two sleeping bags, a wind-up radio, waterproof clothing, a four-litre water bag, a camping stove, a torch and a few well-loved toys for Koda, Wayne has all the necessities for surviving outdoors.

He lives off £50 per week, and always ensures he has four litres of water and two days worth of food for emergencies.

Now, with all of the media surrounding plastic pollution, Wayne is serving as a catalyst for the litter movement. His story has reached thousands of people through Facebook, news outlets, and word of mouth.

Wayne said: “I’m so amazed by the kindness and generosity of people; inviting me into their homes for a meal or a place to stay, volunteering their time to litter pick along beaches or roads with me, and sharing their stories as well.

“We still have a long way to go. People still give you funny looks if you’re beach cleaning or litter picking, but it’s about tackling the social issues surrounding it as well. It all goes back to being aware of your surroundings, and improving where you live. But I’m absolutely loving it - meeting all kinds of people and creating awareness - and I’m only halfway done.”

Wayne doesn’t have an end date, claiming, “If it takes longer than I initially expected... let’s just say I won’t be unhappy with that!”

Wayne is heading east along the coast of the South Hams toward Torbay.

To follow along with his journey, ‘like’ his Facebook page, Wayne Dixon.

To donate, visit www.virginmoneygiving.com or www.gofundme.com and search ‘Wayne Dixon’.