A marine whose comrade lost both legs in Afghanistan is cycling the length of Britain for charity.

Kris Dawson, of Ashford is riding at least 960 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats for the Help the Heroes servicemen and women’s charity.

His comrade, Joe Townsend, of Eastbourne, recently hit the headlines after winning a planning battle to build a bungalow because of his disability.

Mr Dawson, a Royal Marines Commando who returned from Afghanistan last year, said: “During my time I have seen many friends injured.

“Joe is one of my closest friends and it is what happened him that especially made me decide to do this. I want to raise as much money as possible.”

Mr Dawson, 23, takes on the journey on July 27 with two friends from Ashford, recently-redundant engineer Andrew Spragg, 27, and gas engineer Craig Ross, 23.

They hope to raise as much as £10,000 both for Help for Heroes and Cancer Research.

The trio expect the journey to take 10 days and intend to cover 100 miles a day.

Mr Dawson has served in operations in Afghanistan and around the Gulf of Aden over the last two years.

Help for Heroes is a charity for wounded service personnel returning to Britain from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Joe Townsend, 20, lost both legs when he stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan.

Last month he won a fight to have a bungalow built on his grandparents’ land after Wealden District Council in East Sussex initially refused planning permission.

More than 30,000 people signed a petition supporting him and Prime Minister Gordon Brown ordered the authority to reconsider.