SOLDIERING ON FOR ARMY VETERANS...

An Army veteran, who was forced to give up military life due to injury, has raised almost £9,000 by embarking on one of Scotland’s toughest endurance challenges.

Royal Artillery Veteran Lee Harris-Hamer (31), from Thirsk, is the Ambassador for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp 2023, which challenges teams of soldiers, veterans and civilians to walk 22, 36 or 54 miles across the rugged terrain of the Perthshire countryside in less than 24 hours.

Completing Silver (36 miles) in 13 hours and six minutes, Lee joined the Royal Artillery at the age of 17, was deployed to Afghanistan twice and rose to the rank of Lance Bombardier.

However, at the age of 24, a back injury dramatically ended his eight-year Army career.

For a fit young soldier and father, the news was devastating. Lee struggled with feelings of worthlessness and developed anxiety and depression.

However, with a grant from ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, he used the skills he had developed in the Army to start his own cleaning business.

Lee now employs over 40 staff through White Horse Cleaning Services.

Lee, who led the ‘Sore for a Day’ team, said, “The Cateran Yomp was an event I’ve trained for and expected to be hard, but I totally underestimated the gruelling Scottish landscape...............

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