A 17-year-old college student skateboarded all the way to Brighton for charity – by accident.

When Ainsley Mahoney-George agreed to a trip with four friends to the Sussex seaside holiday favourite, he got more than he bargained for.

Ainsley, who studies catering at Redbridge College, Barley Lane, Little Heath, said: “My friends just asked whether I wanted to go to Brighton that weekend so I turned up with my skateboard, thinking I’ll do some there, and they turned up with rollerskates. I thought I was going to go on a coach or something.”

In fact, the group of five had planned to raise money for Action Against Hunger UK and they skated to the south coast via the M25 and the A3 for eight hours – the equivalent distance of two marathons.

Ainsley experienced another unexpected twist when he lost his fellow skaters and ended up going way past Brighton meaning he had to follow directions from locals to find his way back to Stratford where he lives.

Ainsley added: “I would do it again because it was a good experience, as long as I know where I’m where going this time.”