LICENSEE Phil Nicholson certainly isn't short on bottle - and this weekend his stamina will be put to the test when he tackles a gruelling 600-mile sponsored walk. For the 50-year-old, landlord of the Princess Royal at Blackbrook, is all set to walk from Paris to Liverpool in aid of the Weston Spirit charity appeal.

Phil will be joined on the trek by son, Paul (21) and son-in-law, Paul McKelvey (31) and his pals, Marines Gary Hughes and Dean O'Leary, both from Whiston - plus a nebuchadnezzar of Champagne (equivalent to 20 bottles) which the intrepid five will carry with them.

And former amateur Rugby League player Phil has only himself to blame for being landed with the marathon task. He told the Star: "This is all down to my big mouth. Paul is a former Marine and at my daughter's wedding to him a couple of years ago, I supped him and all his pals under the table.

"Then in my drunken stupor I said I could beat them all hands down at anything. They challenged me to prove it, so I asked them if they had the bottle to do a 600-mile walk for charity with me and to my amazement they said yes!"

The lads, who are hoping to raise between £8,000 and £10,000, will start their gruelling hike on Sunday, September 19, and Phil added: "Now I've got to put my money where my mouth is. I've been in training for the last two months and my weight has gone from 17 stone to 15 stone 4."

They will be doing the walk in relays and have already received sponsorship from GM Motors, in the form of a people carrier, and the Burtons Group, who have sponsored their shoes and tracksuits.

Anyone who would like to sponsor the group can contact Phil at the Princess Royal on 01744 23239.

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