A teenage Viking reenactor is set to walk more than 100 miles from Chester to York in memory of his former teacher, raising money for a blood cancer charity

Ryan Olsen, a member of Chester-based reenactment groups Unknown Vikings of Chester and Hearth of the Valkyrie, will begin the gruelling challenge on Saturday 18 July.

The 16-year-old is raising funds in memory of Hannah Freeman, a history teacher at Whitby High School and fellow Viking reenactor, who died in September last year after battling cancer.

Ryan will set off from Whitby High School before heading into Chester to begin the 100-mile-plus route. He will complete the journey entirely on foot while carrying Viking equipment, including a shield and wearing period clothing.

He hopes to reach York within 12 days, passing through Delamere, Wilmslow, Marple, Glossop, Penistone, Barnsley, Pontefract, Leeds and Tadcaster along the way.

To prepare for the challenge, Ryan has been completing increasingly demanding training walks. Last month, he tackled a 23-mile route from Waverton to Moel Famau in North Wales - his longest training walk so far -completing it in 12 hours while documenting the journey on social media.

"I wanted to do something that would make a real difference," Ryan said. "Miss Freeman meant a lot to me, and this felt like a way I could honour her memory while helping other families facing blood cancer."

"Miss Freeman was the kind of teacher who believed in everyone, even when we didn't believe in ourselves."

Ryan said that after Miss Freeman was diagnosed with cancer, she entrusted him and his friends with a Dungeons & Dragons worldbuilding project she had spent more than a decade developing.

"I wanted to do something to honour that gift," he said.

Ryan's fundraising will support Anthony Nolan, helping the charity match stem cell donors with people in need of potentially lifesaving transplants while funding research to improve transplant outcomes.

His mum, Steph, who is helping organise the challenge, said: "Ryan has really thrown himself into this completely.

"He's training hard, planning every stage of the route and pushing himself far beyond what most teenagers would ever consider. We're all incredibly proud of what he's doing."

Supporters can follow Ryan's training and fundraising journey on social media, where he has been documenting his preparations.

Ryan hopes the challenge will not only raise money for Anthony Nolan but also encourage more people to support the charity and consider joining the stem cell donor register.

People wishing to support Ryan's fundraising challenge for Anthony Nolan can donate via his fundraising page here.