TWO pub regulars are to hitchhike hundreds of miles from Portugal to a Withnell pub dressed as a chicken to raise money for charity.

James Hamilton, 32, and Will Ferguson, 28, will take it in turns to dress as the Hoghton Arm’s mascot Rodney the Chicken on the 1,600 journey home to raise £2,000 for children’s hospice Derian House.

Armed with only a tent and £10 a day for food, James, a groundworker and Will, a supervisor at the pub, are hoping to make it back within a week.

James, 32, whose partner Laura works at the pub, said it is the third year the Chicken Run has taken place with Rodney making it to Paris in 2015 and Berlin in 2016.

The dad-of-two from the Witton area of Blackburn, said: “We had a poll on Facebook and of six different countries Portugal got the most votes.

“We will get a flight there and will try and get lifts all the way back.

“If we can’t get a lift we will be using our own two feet.

“We are just going to try and wing it and use our charm.”

The two have set benchmarks along the way and are aiming to cover about five hours a day.

“If we were to drive it in a car without a break it would take 17 hours so we’re aiming to travel what would be five hours a day in a car,” he said.

“We have set ourselves the challenge of walking into the pub before closing time on the Sunday.

“We have got a three-man tent, some sleeping bags and a rucksack so will be camping along the way or trying to blag a hostel or a camp bed at a truck stop.

“This is by far the most extreme thing I have done for charity.

“It is going to be a challenge but we are confident.”

Stuart Chell, partnerships manager at Derian House, said: “This certainly isn’t a challenge for the faint-hearted.

“Many thanks to everyone at the Hoghton Arms for hatching the plan for this great fundraiser.

“We hope that Will and James do not fall ‘fowl’ of any hold-ups on their journey back home.

“The many different ways that our fundraisers find to support our vital work here at Derian House never fails to surprise us. “Chicken Run is now in its third year and has become an established event on the pub’s fundraising calendar for us.

“We’re overwhelmed with the generosity and support of regulars and staff alike.”

The pair will leave on June 12.

To sponsor them visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ChickenRun2017.

Derian House Children’s Hospice cares for children with life-threatening and life-shortening conditions and provides support to their families.