FINEST military planning could not prevent a marathon 18-month charity fundraising effort setting off on a damp note today (Wednesday November 19).

Ex-soldier Barry Dixon completed a soggy 17-mile cycle ride, the first of potentially hundreds of legs on the Care for Casualties Bugle Tour of the country.

The former light infantryman rode from his home, on Wearside, to The Rifles County Headquarters, in Durham, to hand over the symbolical ‘baton’, a military-style bugle as featured on the regimental badge.

It will be passed to other ex-servicemen and supporters on a nationwide tour, with the last stage set to bring it back to the region from The Rifles regimental barracks, in Edinburgh, in April 2016.

The tour, to be completed by non-motorised transport, was devised by Mr Dixon, who has completed walking marathons for The Rifles regimental charity - Care for Casualties - in each of the last two years.

He has enlisted volunteers via Facebook, but is recruiting more for some of the later stages next year and into 2016.

As genuine silver military bugles can cost as much as £4,000, Mr Dixon bought a cheaper variety at an antique shop to use on the relay.

“It’s bound to get battered and dented along the way, so I couldn’t risk using the real thing," he said.

Mr Dixon consulted the long-range weather forecast to select the day and time to start the tour, but his planning went array when he was caught up in a deluge on the 45-minute ride to Durham.

He had to undergo a swift change of clothing prior to the official greeting, with Major Chris Lawton, The Rifles regimental county secretary, and serving bugler, Rifleman Stephen Elliott, of D Rifles company.

Keen charity supporter Gary McVittie, of the Tyrespot chain, will be the custodian of the bugle on the second leg of the tour, from Durham to Stockton, in coming days.