Bolton’s ‘Flipper Guy’ to dust off his old fins again for The Christie

Craig Keatley, from Stoneclough, is set to walk 14 miles in flippers to raise money for a cancer hospital after his friend was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer.

The 56-year-old will walk from The Christie Hospital in Withington to his home district in Stoneclough on June 27 in aid of The Christie charity.

It started originally in the 90s. (Image: Craig Keatley)

The charity challenge comes after his friend, Lee Burns, from Stoneclough, began treatment at the hospital.

Mr Keatley said: “Things like what we’re doing, what my mate’s going through now, puts life in perspective.

“He’s nearly 48, and he’s got bloody cancer, and it’s not a good thing to have.

“I only hope he can prolong his life as much as we can, but, from my point of view, let’s raise a few quid, put a smile on people’s faces and raise awareness.”

Mr Keatley has become known locally for completing long-distance charity walks while wearing swimming flippers.

Craig after an impressive climb up a peak. (Image: Craig Keatley)

Over the years, he has climbed Mount Snowdon in flippers and walked from Liverpool to Manchester wearing them.

He said he first came up with the idea during a night out in the early 1990s before bringing it back for charity fundraising in 2017.

Mr Keatley said: “Every time you go out, you’re faced with the madness of people engaging and filming you because it is bonkers.

“I get a lot of enjoyment from seeing people and seeing their reactions because you get all sorts of reactions.

It’s not his first rodeo. (Image: Craig Keatley)

“Every time I go out, I’m getting beeps, waves and every sort of reaction, which again is good really.”

Mr Keatley said several people are expected to join him on the route, with the event planned around a football World Cup theme.

He said he has raised more than £28,000 for charities through his various challenges over the years, including almost £4,500 for Bolton Community Kitchen.

Mr Keatley added: “The money side is great, the awareness is great, the fun element is great, and the personal challenge is great.

“I don’t think I could have dreamed about doing anything like that because of the miles I’ve done.

He’s been seen in his flippers by many people before. (Image: Craig Keatley)

“You’ve got to train hard, and people stop you and tell me their story.”

One of Mr Keatley’s toughest challenges saw him walk 31 miles from Anfield to Old Trafford in flippers in 2019.

He said: “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

“I was physically sick at the end of it, and my mates got me over the finish line because if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have done it.”

Mr Keatley said the support he receives from the public is one of the main reasons he continues doing the challenges.

He added: “People see me on the street and say, ‘You’re the flipper guy’.

“It’s amusing, really, and it’s nice, that little cult status sort of thing.

“I enjoy doing it, and people get a lot of fun from it, seeing me.”