A paramedic is swapping 999 calls for 999 km after embarking upon an epic charity trek.

Lysa Walder, an emergency care practitioner at Croydon University Hospital's urgent care centre, is to walk from the Italian town of Aosta to Rome to raise money for Doctors Without Borders.

She set off last week and encountered drama on only her second day when a landslide left her trapped up a mountain and in need of rescue.

Undeterred, Lysa now hopes to complete 30km a day to reach the symbolic total of 999km within a month.

She is journeying along the Via Francigena, an ancient route made famous by 11th century pilgrims from Canterbury.

Lysa said: "I am particularly looking forward to the thought that by walking roughly 30km per day it will mean I am at liberty to eat whatever I like and wash it all down with a glass of the local wine every evening with no fear of weight gain."

She has so far raised £2,000 for the charity, which provides emergency aid in countries affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters or exclusion from healthcare.