A teenager from Hitchin is set to embark on an epic 450 mile trek for charity in April, and needs your help to hit his fundraising target.

Hector Duncan, 19, will be tackling the Camino de Santiago Frances - a 780km solo walk that weaves through southern France and Spain - for the charity Raliegh International in April.

Starting in Jean Pied de Port, France and ending in Santiago de Compestela in Northwestern Spain, Hector will need to average around 15 miles every day for six weeks to make his goal a reality.

He admits that this will be one of the toughest challenges, both mentally and physically, he has ever done.

Hector said: "I haven't done anything close to the scale of the Camino de Santiago before. The longest I've trekked was for 250km as part of a team, so this is a totally different ballpark.

"I'm excited for it. I think my toughest challenge is ensuring I'm on top of everything logistically, as who knows what unexpected obstacles I might face."

Up until now, Hector's fundraising activities have almost exclusively been cake sales and Christmas fairs.

But this trek will certainly be a big step-up for him, and he hopes it will enable him to make a real difference.

Hector's most recent Raleigh expedition was in Costa Rica last summer, and he was determined to continue finding new ways to raise awareness and fundraise for the charity.

He says after extensive research he chose the Camino de Santiago Frances as it would enable him to use the skills he has learned with Raleigh, and represented the "perfect" test of physical and mental endurance.

Hector added: "Reaching the end of this trek will fill me with an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment - after six weeks of the highest highs and lowest lows.

"It honestly would be incredible to me if I could reach my fundraising target, anything you can spare makes a real difference.

"I urge anyone reading this to have a look for yourself at Raleigh's work and donate what you can."

Raleigh International is a sustainable development charity that has aimed to create lasting change in remote and rural areas since 1984.

You can support Hector's trek at crowdfunder.co.uk/raleighcamino20