A father-of-three from Thorpe St Andrew has returned from an emotional 6,600-mile motorcycle ride across Australia in memory of his late wife.

Peter Walker, 58, came up with the idea of the 10,635-km expedition from Brisbane to Perth after his wife Linda died of cancer in 2010.

Before her diagnosis, the couple had discussed travelling Australia together in a camper van, and so Mr Walker decided he would use their dream to raise money and awareness of the two cancer charities which helped them in difficult times.

The retired BT engineer, who self-funded the trip, embarked on the motorcyle ride at the October 11, finishing on November 20. He then stayed on in Perth with Linda's sister Fiona and spent Christmas with her family on the beach.

Mr Walker, who lives in St Catherine's Road, got off to a very wet start in Brisbane, and spent the first two-and-a-half weeks riding his bike in the rain.

He said: 'I think the reaction from the Australians when I spoke to them about what I was doing was one of the best parts of the trip. Their hands went straight into their pockets and they were very generous.

'A highlight of the trip was going across the Nullarbor Plain. We don't have anything like this desert road in our country and it took three days to get across.

'There's a place where you get very close to the southern ocean and so I stopped and sat looking towards Antarctica and once you have stopped the engine there is nothing and it is silent. There were a few tears shed there I can assure you.'

So far Mr Walker has raised �1,500 for Norfolk and Waveney's Big C charity and �800 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

A fundraising welcome home party will be held from 5pm to 11pm on January 29 at Unwind in Trowse.

To donate, log on to www.justgiving.com/PeterbikesOzBigC and www.justgiving.com/peter bikesOzmacmillannurses.

Are you doing something amazing for charity? Contact Kim Briscoe on 01603 772419 or email kim.briscoe@archant.co.uk.