A CHANCE encounter with a homeless man has spurred a seven year old to embark on an 18 mile walk to raise funds for a homeless charity.

Ned Kilner from Ruardean was shopping for Gormiti plastic toys with his dad, Ffinlo, when he came across a man in a sleeping bag.

Ffinlo says: "Ned just asked me why he was there and I told him he had no money for a house. So he just went and spent all the money he had for the toys on a hotdog for the man, who showed him such a lot of respect."

Ned says: "I bought him a hotdog with my saved up money from helping mummy. He was very grateful. He said 'God bless you'."

The meeting has inspired Ned to set off with his Jack Russell, Sunny, on an 18 mile hike from Ruardean to Gloucester to raise up to £1,000 for the Gear Project – Gloucestershire Emergency Accommodation Resource, which is the county's only direct access homeless charity.

He starts out this Friday (April 2) and will be joined by Ffinlo.

"I think the walk will be very hard because I'm only seven," says Ned, a pupil at Ruardean C of E School. "Usually a seven year old can only walk up to about eight miles, so 18 miles is going to be tough. I think my dad's going to be very tired too."

You can help sponsor Ned via Ruardean or Ruardean Woodside Post Offices, the Gear Project direct or by emailing [email protected]">[email protected]