Speedo Mick has completed his mission from Land's End to John O'Groats

He’s done it! Speedo Mick has completed his mission.

After 78 days and 1,000 miles, Speedo Mick has made it to Land’s End – and he’s absolutely smashed his fund-raising target.

Instead of the original £50,000 he hoped to raise for his Leave The Light On charity when he set off from John O’Groats on December 7, he reached the finishing line in Cornwall with pledges of more than £300,000.

Along the way, the hero in Everton blue trunks – aka lighting engineer Mick Cullen – has battled through below zero temperatures, torrential lashing rain and three storms: Ciara, Dennis and Ellen.

He even managed to overcome a calf injury which sidelined him in Ormskirk back in mid-January and threatened to wreck his challenge when it was only halfway through.

But, nothing keeps Scouse superman Speedo Mick down and with intensive physio and cryotherapy he was back on the road within a week.

Now Mick, who celebrated his 55^th birthday when he was still in Scotland at the start of his walk, has made it to the end.

“I’m shattered to be honest, emotionally and physically – my back, my neck, my elbows, I’ve got all kinds of stuff happening,” he said. “There were lots of times when I didn’t think I’d get here but I want to thank every single person who’s encouraged me to carry on.”

And, in typical Mick style, he even managed a quick icy dip in the sea – no wetsuit, just those trunks! – with a surfer to celebrate his Cornwall arrival. He also grabbed a traditional pasty in Penzance to help keep his energy levels up.

The only slight setback came this morning when he lost his iphone with all the music playlists which have kept him going through all those hours trekking on his own.

Spending the last night of the challenge with wife Rachel at the Regenna Castle hotel in St Ives, he set off for the final leg, joking that a big fried breakfast was “like my last meal!”

After hundreds of miles, and thousands of selfies with supporters along the way, Mick was joined by crowds of fans, Cornish comedian Jethro and a military brass band as he made his way along the A30 to Land’s End. With the home stretch in sight, he was given some musical encouragement to the finish line by the Cape Cornwall Singers.

Shouting ‘we’ve done it everybody, we’ve done it’ Mick and the rest of Team Mick reached the famous Land’s End signpost – now the party can really get started!

All the money raised by Speedo Mick’s walk will go to his own newly set-up charity, Leave The Light On, which will support community projects and creating opportunities for disadvantaged young people.