Walk around Britain includes a diversion into wedded bliss

FUNDRAISING HERO GETS HITCHED TO HIS PROJECT MANAGER

A fraudster used a bank card he found on the Metro to buy booze despite claiming he doesn’t really drink.

“Opportunistic” Steven Corkin, 36, embarked on the illegal spending spree after watching a World Cup match. He also bought sweets and cigarettes from shops around Sunderland using the Halifax card, a court heard.

The thief initially failed to attend court, claiming he had been in hospital over injuries sustained from a dog bite. But after a judge threatened him with arrest, he raced to South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court to plead guilty to two charges of theft by finding and fraud by false representation.

The court heard Corkin had over a dozen convictions and spent time inside, where he racked up drug debt to feed a crack addiction.

In mitigation, it was claimed he was now getting help, having kicked the habit.

He told the court: “I got in with the wrong crowd and ended up doing stupid things.”

Corkin, of Cresswell Terrace, Sunderland, made “full and frank admissions” to the charges. He was handed a six-month community order and ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 charge. Environment Editor CANCER charity founder Brian Burnie has taken time out from his 7,000-mile trek around the coast of Britain and Ireland – to get married.

Brian, 74, who set up the Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care charity, stunned the organisation’s 350 volunteers with the news that he was going to wed the walk’s project manger Cheryl Finlay at 4pm yesterday at the Isle of Skye register office.

Brian left Tyneside at the beginning of March on his twoyear epic walk to promote the charity and set up spinoff similar ventures, and has so far covered around 1,300 miles, with Cheryl walking part of the way with him.

“This was a bolt from the blue – a real surprise,” said Daft as a Brush communications manager Dave Harrison.

“But everybody at Daft as a Brush is delighted. We are over the moon.”

Brian sold his Doxford Hall Hotel and land in Northumberland with the proceeds going to Newcastle-based Daft as a Brush, which now has 350 volunteers and operates 25 ambulances offering free transport to and from hospital for outpatients who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy cancer treatment. Earlier this year, Brian was one of four new names added to NewcastleGateshead’s riverside Walk of Fame, as nominated by local people Dave Harrison for having made a significant contribution to the region.

Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care has been hugely successful in the North East, operating 30,000 patient journeys each year.

Brian wants to expand the service throughout Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales and his aim is to create 1,000,000 cancer patient journeys nationwide.

During his walk, Brian has met members of the Scottish Parliament, medical professionals, cancer centres and patients to discuss the possibility of free cancer patient transport Brian started his charity to help cancer sufferers in Scotland. He is backed by the Bluebell Bus, which serves as accommodation and office.

Brian and Cheryl met in 2014 when he was a guest speaker at a meeting at South Shields of the women’s organisation Soroptimist International.

A year later Cheryl, who lives in Sunderland, became president of the city’s Soroptimist branch and invited Brian back as a speaker, and their friendship grew from there.

When Brian decided to tackle his 7,000-mile walk, he invited Cheryl to take on the job of project manager.