AN INJURED soldier visited students in Crewe as part of his mammoth two thousand mile trek around Britain.

Students and visiting athletes at Manchester Metropolitan’s Crewe campus joined Major Phil Packer to complete a further four miles of his epic 2012 mile walk around the country.

Doctors told Major Packer he would never walk again after injuring his spine while serving in Afghanistan in 2008.

Although his upper legs remain paralysed, he has since managed to row the English Channel, walk the London marathon in 14 days, and climb Yosemite Park’s infamous El Capitan mountain.

Major Packer aims to raise money to build a £15 million centre in West Sussex to provide emotional support for young people facing adversity.

He said: “I really want to start a relationship with the university and get the students union behind the campaign by using social media. It’s just a case of students at MMU Cheshire standing by me even if they can’t walk with me.”

Major packer was joined on his walk through Crewe by athletes Pauline Kwalea and Chris Walasi, who are training at the university before representing the Solomon Islands at the London Olympics.

Students Danielle Hurstone, Carley Legg and Angi Holden, as well as dean of MMU Cheshire Dennis Dunn, also joined the walk.

Mr Dunn said: “We are delighted to welcome Phil as part of his epic 2012 challenge. He is an inspirational figure in himself, and what he is doing is inspiring so many others, particularly young people.

“His mission is to build this fabulous centre, and the University will be looking for ways in which as a community we can support his work into the future.”