Former battlefield comrades were reunited as veteran Paul Minter passed through Medway on his epic 5,000-mile UK coastline run.

Paul is running the equivalent of 191 marathons around the British coast, to raise money to build a retreat for former veterans suffering from mental health issues.

And having been welcomed to the home of MP Adam Holloway on Monday night, during the Gravesham leg of his run, he went on to meet ex-colleague Craig Ashurst just in time for Craig's 30th birthday.

Craig, who trained as a farrier in the Household Cavalry, left the army in March this year, and has already established his own farriery in Rainham, where he lives with wife Lianne and two-year-old son Louie. And Paul explained it was those who haven't been so fortunate that he's trying to help.

"It's nice to see he's got a good job and a nice house," said Paul, 36. "It's always nice to see that side, because often we see the side where people have struggled."

Paul founded his charity Head Up to give mental health support to veterans and service personnel after losing several colleagues to suicide – and he aims to raise £3 million to open The Retreat in Worcestershire next year.

His own efforts in Afghanistan led to him being awarded a Mention in Dispatches for bravery 2011, but he was medically discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder and left the army in 2020.

"We did a lot together," said Paul, who served as Craig's section commander. "We served in Afghanistan together for a long time. We did seven months together, and we were part of the Brigade Reconnaissance Force. It's quite a specialist unit put together to do certain missions.

"The stuff we did was quite kinetic. We were targetting IED factories and those that were making improvised devices. We were trying to shut them down, and find certain people that were involved in IED factories."

Naturally his time in Medway has been relaxing by comparison, and even if Paul is running an average of 28 miles a day, he was able to enjoy a birthday drink with Craig.

After running around the Isle of Grain he then headed to Sheppey yesterday, and is due to run to Faversham today.

Prior to his Medway stay, Paul had been welcomed by Gravesham MP Adam Holloway, also an ex serviceman, who also put on a barbecue to help Paul refuel.

"He was a really nice guy, very friendly," said Paul. "Obviously he's had a military career and we're both from the Guards unit. He loves the idea of what we're trying to do and achieve as a charity."

"Part of the running idea is to get connected with people and get them behind the charity, whether they be businesses or individuals.

"It's making connections so we can grow as we move forward. He's a fantastic guy to have on board."

Paul, speaking as he carried on around the Kent coast, explained he was still trying to run his charity while physically running, occasionally stopping to take care of business.

"I'm still head of operations trying to keep on top of everything," he said. "I'm talking to people on the phone, I'm in meetings.

"I'm basically in full time employment, but hopefully in a year and half's time we'll have the doors open and it will be worth it."

According to Head Up, one in eight servicemen and women seek their GPs for mental health issues and 17% of combatants who had been on tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan have probable PTSD.

The charity says one in three veterans with combat experience have mental health disorders, yet it takes an average 13 years for military personnel to ask for help.

To follow Paul's progress see the website head-up.org.uk and donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/paul-minter1