COUNTY NEWS: Rail chaos sees brothers walk 60 miles home from London

Otis Kirby-Dunkley, 22, and Isaac Kirby-Dunkley, 18, from Worthing, decided to make the journey after their trains were often delayed or cancelled during the summer. The pair videoed their experience and shared it on Facebook – where it has been viewed more than 30,000 times – and on YouTube. Otis, who came up with the idea, said: “I decided it was a better idea to walk than spend £48 between us on tickets for a game of train roulette. “However, I would not recommend this to anyone.” Including stops, the brothers’ journey took three days and led to the suffering swollen feet, insect bites, and skin rashes – as well as paranoia as they spent pitch-black nights in an uncomfortable tent with no shower or toilet. Isaac, a mechanical engineering apprentice, said it was one of the hardest challenges he had faced and would never do it again. “I feel great to say I have done it and to know what it feels like,” he added. “If this video makes angry commuters happier, then I am pleased.” The current plight of railway users across the area was not the only reason Otis decided to take on the gruelling walk with his younger brother. He said he also wanted to empathise with today’s refugees. He said: “I wanted to try to understand a sense of what it would be like for them, who have to travel miles without home comforts. “It was a huge reminder that we actually have it unbelievably easy living here in Britain, with the amount of transport and services on offer to us.” Otis added that, however frustrating cancelled and delayed trains were, he would not let his feet do the talking in future. “Let’s just say after this, I will always wait for that next train,” he said. The duo arrived home at 1am on Thursday, August 17, and said they found the last leg of the journey a ‘blur of pain and horror’. Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1) Make our website your homepage 2) Like our Facebook page 3) Follow us on Twitter 4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! Always the first with your local news. Be part of it.