BLISTERS and driving rain have failed to dampen the enthusiasm of a York student who is walking the length of the country to promote world peace.

Ben Macpherson is devoting his summer to trekking 500 miles from his home city of Edinburgh to London and aims to reach his destination by September 21.

The day marks the United Nations' International Day of Peace, which has been declared a day of global ceasefire and non-violence.

The 20-year-old, a politics and philosophy student at York University, made a pit stop in the city at the weekend to "freshen up".

"I am looking forward to coming to my second home. The weather has been pretty bad but it is amazing today," he said on Saturday as he headed into the city from Crayke.

Mr Macpherson who is carrying a white flag, symbolizing peace, said he had wanted to plant the peace day in people's minds because he felt little was known about it in the UK. "I thought it was quite outrageous to walk from Edinburgh to London and would raise the profile of the UN International Day of Peace.

"I am not religious and I do not follow any particular political affiliation. I am not doing this walk to raise money and I am not encouraging people to walk with me for safety and legal issues, and because that gives the idea of a march or protest."

"I had a few blisters to start with and it has been hard, especially with all the rain. But it is exciting and I am learning a lot as well, thinking about ideas and realising that we can do anything if we want to."

Updated: 10:50 Monday, August 16, 2004