INSPIRATIONAL brain injury victim James Bastin has completed a gruelling walk from Oxford to Coventry for charity but it's only part of his training schedule for a much bigger challenge.

The dedicated fundraiser completed a Olympic-length triathlon last year and the 100-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in northern Spain in 2015 but now he has stepped up his training to take on the treacherous West Highland Way in Scotland.

When he was 19 the North Oxford man was hit by a taxi when crossing Woodstock Road outside Browns.

He was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital where he would undergo seven brain operations over five months.

Since then he has regained many brain functions, far surpassing the predictions of doctors, and has set about taking on extraordinary challenges to raise money for others.

Mr Bastin, who is not able to work, said he wanted to focus his efforts on raising money for good causes.

The 32-year-old said: "It's a good thing to be using my time to do - it's nice to be able to help people who are homeless and living in difficult circumstances.

"We are up to £650 raised so far which is brilliant - there is a problem with homelessness in the city and Oxford Homeless Pathways is a great cause."

But his 95-mile trek from Oxford to Coventry earlier this month was just part of his training schedule ahead of a much tougher challenge.

In June he will be taking on the West Highland Way in Scotland - a popular but challenging 97-mile route from Milngavie in the north of Glasgow to Fort William.

Mr Bastin said: "The Oxford to Coventry walk was quite difficult - not everyone finished the walk so I'm pleased we did and it gives me confidence ahead of my next challenge.

"It's going to be harder doing the Scottish highlands walk but I'm hoping to be able to do it.

"We did the Oxford to Coventry walk in four days but have seven days to do the Highland walk so I'm hopeful."

Before the accident, Mr Bastin, who grew up in Wolvercote, was a gifted foreign language speaker, played a number of sports and was a talented guitar player.

Despite his remarkable recovery he still has difficulty with everyday tasks such a cooking, cleaning and writing and is partially sighted.

His training, alongside support worker Johnathan Watson, will now continue after a short break over the Easter period.

A weekend walking in the Peak District lies ahead as his gruelling schedule intensifies.

In September he completed an Olympic-length triathlon – cycling 100 laps of Horspath Athletics Track , before running 10km to the Ferry Leisure Centre in Summertown where he swam 60 lengths – raising more than £2,000 for brain injury charity The Silverlining.

In 2015 he walked 100 miles of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in northern Spain for Maggie's Oxford Centre at the Churchill Hospital.

To support James and donate to Oxford Homeless Pathways go to justgiving.com/fundraising/James-Bastin2.