After 16 knee and leg operations, including five cruciate ligament reconstructions, Mark Roberts shouldn’t even be standing – let alone walking from Dover to Sittingbourne.

The 43-year-old will set off in November to raise money for the Maidstone-based Wonderful Foundation to help create a water well at the Migowi School and Orphanage in Malawi.

He hopes to prove that "through perseverance and digging deep, you can do anything".

Having first suffered knee trouble around the age of 13 after being diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease, he was left in a wheelchair for almost a year.

Then, shortly after he was walking again, he was hit by a car in Sittingbourne High Street, which broke both his legs in eight places.

In a lifetime of mobility problems he has undergone 10 operations on his right knee, leg extensions, and a full knee replacement.

He says doctors told him he was the only person to have undergone five cruciate ligament reconstructions.

Mark, who works for Sittingbourne security firm HRD, said: “I was told I shouldn’t be walking but I want to inspire others.

“I believed I couldn’t do things because of my leg but we all need hope in life.”

He wants to raise a minimum of £7,000 to ensure children in the African country have safe drinking water.

He said: “A well would give them so much hope, no child should suffer like that.”

The London Road resident climbed Ben Nevis just days before undergoing yet more surgery.

Despite not making it to the summit, he reached 3,300 feet and is looking forward to his next fundraising effort with friend and medic Mark Love.

He said: “I’ve had knee problems for 35 years and I wanted to put myself in these children’s shoes for a while. I’ll be walking 15 to 17 miles a day and sleeping rough. I let my operations become an excuse but having faith changed my life.”

Mark Roberts speaking about his charity efforts

The pair will begin their trek on November 9 and hope to finish within three days.