A charity fundraiser has shared his experiences of life on the road after traversing almost the entire length and breadth of the country by hitchhiking.

Stephen Hancock spent two and a half months on the road — travelling more than 2,500 miles and hitching more than 200 lifts.

The former mental health charity worker gave up his job in June and left his two bedroom rented cottage in Iffley Turn, Oxford, to hitch around Britain in aid of Witney-based charity Cecily's Fund.

The journey saw him hitch from Devon to John O'Groats, taking in Wales, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and some of Scotland's most remote and beautiful islands.

Mr Hancock, 42, said: "It was a good adventure. I had some of the best times of my life and some of the worst times.

"When you're in a beautiful place, sometimes you feel like you're a king. But other times you think 'what the hell am I doing here'.

The keen hitcher had planned to visit holy and unholy places in Britain and write a book of his travels, but canned the idea to concentrate on enjoying the trip.

He said: "I packed in the book idea half-way through. I kept a rough journal but gave it up, which was a real liberation as it allowed the journey to become more magical.

"By trying to record the moments you stop living them."

"I gave up looking for unholy places after I visited Swindon — I suddenly realised it was a bit of a perverse pilgrimage.

"I learned what a beautiful and varied country Britain is, though.

"Each hitch was a bit of an adventure in its own right and you weave in and out of other people's lives.

"A lot of people giving lifts ask if it is difficult to hitchhike now, but it's as easy as it ever was. Everyone's got an adventure inside them and I have just let mine out."

He said the hairiest moment was when he was picked up by a boy-racer in Scotland and found himself being driven at 110 mph along the banks of Loch Lomond.

Mr Hancock said: "The hitching was really straightforward and I got most lifts within 15 or 20 minutes. Most of the 'lifters' are ex-hitchhikers themselves and they get jealous when they see you hitching.

"The worst bit was crossing back into England from Wales. It definitely feels like you are crossing a psychological barrier.

"To the west of the M5 things are a bit more free."

Since returning to Oxford, Mr Hancock has found a temporary job at a homeless hostel and has returned to Iffley Turn.

His journey made about £700 for Cecily's Fund, which is raising money for Zambian children orphaned by Aids.