'Overwhelmed' Karl Bushby crosses the Humber Bridge on the eve of finishing his 28-year walk home from Chile to Hull

Former paratrooper Karl Bushby, 57, crossed the Humber Bridge on Sunday through thick mist, describing the landmark as "almost symbolic" — it was the one place he remembered from when he first left Hull 28 years ago. He set off from Punta Arenas, Chile, in November 1998 aged 29, with around $500 in his pocket, and has since covered 31,000 miles across 30 countries on foot without once using transport to advance.

Bushby is due to arrive at Queen Victoria Square in Hull at 11am on Monday, where his mother Angela, 79, will greet him with the words: 'What time do you call this?'

He will meet his 12-year-old granddaughter for the first time on Monday, and plans to visit Hull Cenotaph to honour five comrades he lost during his 12 years of service.

The only item to survive the entire journey was his Paratrooper 'Flying Pegasus' badge; he has since announced a theatre tour and his father expects him to join the after-dinner speaking circuit in America.