But when John Milnes travels 3,000 miles around the coast of Britain, he will be doing it in a two-seater plane with only a photographer for company.

As well as stopping to sleep at Haverfordwest on the first night and RAF Benbecula on the second, he will have to refuel several times each day.

He said: “It’s actually quite a long day so there’s not much time for sleep. I think it’s going to be great fun. The planning is quite a challenge, getting everything in place and ready.”

John’s hoping to raise £6,000 to split between Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Dreams Come True, after being inspired by his stepdaughter, Lilly.

The nine-year-old was diagnosed with glaucoma and arthritis when she was just three years old. She has lost almost all of the sight in her left eye and will gradually lose the sight in her right.

Lilly has spent a lot of time in hospital and undergone 14 general anaesthetics in six years, but her teachers at Tockwith Primary School have done everything they can to make sure she keeps up with her classmates.

Having gone through so much in her short life, Lilly was helped by Dreams Come True five years ago.

John said: “They kindly paid for her and her sister Sasha to go to Disneyland Paris for a weekend.

“She absolutely loved it - she still talks about it now. I wanted to give something back because she had benefited from it.”

John’s trip will begin at Sherburn Aero Club on August 27. He will head for the coast at Spurn Point and fly south, stopping only to refuel and to sleep on the journey.

Anyone interested in sponsoring John or finding out more about his trip can go to www.flybritain4charity.co.uk.