A 61-year-old woman on a mission to walk 900 miles for charity has had a heart-stopping encounter with a bull.

Harriet Thomas, who is raising money for Dementia Adventure, is walking from Land's End to John O'Groats, a journey which she expects to take 90 days.

She is aiming to raise £25,000 for the charity.

While walking through Northumberland, she has reflected on the 'highs and lows' of her journey.

Ms Thomas said: "A bit of a lowlight was passing through some fields and being chased by a bull.

"As always, I took a detour to keep my distance, but I heard a very deep growl and saw the bull trotting towards me until he was mere feet away.

"I managed to stay calm and walk in the other direction and then he lost interest, but it’s safe to say he got my heart rate up."

Ms Thomas said the rest of her journey through Northumberland was 'less eventful' and she was taken aback by the beauty of Hadrian's Wall.

She said: "I could almost feel the centuries and centuries of history seeped into the land and see the soldiers guarding their posts.

"There was a real aura about it and it’s been the most atmospheric part of my journey so far."

Ms Thomas has been supported along the way by singing legend Tony Christie and Emmerdale actress Sian Reeves.

Twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid, better known as The Proclaimers, have also sent her a video message of encouragement.

Ms Thomas is inspired by her mother, Susan Thomas, who lived with dementia for nine years.

She said: "When she had dementia, mum was calmer in nature.

"It was as if nature touched the deepest part of her that dementia couldn’t reach."

Ms Thomas's journey is being documented in a podcast called 'The D Tour' which explores themes of dementia.

Fiona Petit, CEO of Dementia Adventure, said: "Harriet’s journey embodies the spirit of Dementia Adventure—resilience, community, and the transformative power of nature.

"We encourage everyone to support Harriet, listen to the podcast, and join us in making a real difference."