Royal Welsh march blindfolded

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Chester based soldiers start the walk for the charity St Dunstan's

Around 30 soldiers from the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh started the three day walk on Tuesday morning from their Chester barracks to St Dunstan's rehab centre in Llandudno.

Corporal Luke Phillips from Wrexham is one of the soldiers on the walk: "I was involved in an incident a couple of years ago in Afghanistan where two of my lads were blinded."

Captain Stephen Healey is leading the troops: "a number of the soldiers suffered problems with their eyes and St Dunstan's have shown great support to them, so we're just giving something back to the charity and showing our support."

The battalion are currently training for another mobilisation to Afghanistan later this year, Captain Healey, who used to be a professional footballer playing for Swansea, said it also forms some of their training: "all events like this are good for the soldiers as it gives them a break from the mission specific training that we're doing ready to go to Afghanistan, but it's good fitness as well, we will be walking with kit on for 70 to 80 miles so even though it's a break it is still good preparation for the lads."