A MAN is raising money for the Coastguard association to pay them back for saving his life.

On February 4 of this year, Matt Halliday went out a walk to clear his head after having some personal issues to deal with, when he ended up getting cut off by the tide and getting stuck in rocks.

Instead of phoning the Coastguard for help he decided to shelter under an overhang and wait for the tide to go out.

Whilst waiting under the overhang, hypothermia kicked in and Matt lost consciousness and was only woken back up on being buried in a mud slide caused by the overhang.

He then had to dig himself out and and climb across the rocks to get a phone signal to phone the Coastguard.

It was then that three Coastguard teams and Coastguard 119 from Prestwick came to Matt’s rescue and rushed him off the hospital with time running out before his body shut down completely.

After his ordeal, he decided to take on the challenge of walking between the Coastguard stations, starting at Portpatrick and then continuing up to Turnberry.

Then he’ll be cycling up to the Coastguard Helicopter base at Prestwick Airport.

Originally from Dalmellington, Matt now lives just outside Stranraer, but he is desperate to show his gratitude to the people who saved his life.

He told the Advertiser: “I’m obviously incredibly grateful to these people for saving my life and I just feel like this is the least I could do.

“It’s strange because I actually know quite a lot of people who work for the coastguard because I work for an undertakers and we usually deal with them when people aren’t as lucky as me.

“I was speaking to them a couple of days after it and they said that because of how bad the hypothermia was, that I probably had about an hour left to live if they hadn’t reached me by then.

“There’s no way I can ever pay back what I owe them because I do owe them my life.

“It got me thinking about what I could do and I cam across the coastguard association which basically covers any services or even ex-coastguard workers and supporting their families as well.”

Matt plans to take on his challenge on August 20 this year, with some of the coastguard planning to join him on part of his challenge.

He added: “I am looking forward to it so I can repay what I can.

“The past week and a half I’ve been on a bike and I’m struggling a bit with the bike but I’m sure I can condition myself by the time it comes around.

“I think they’ll be doing Portpatrick up to Ballantrae with the guys.

“I joked with one of them the other day that if I get myself into trouble this time then at least it’ll be a much quicker rescue for them.

“The support I’ve already received has been extraordinary.

“Rhins Active have supplied me with a bike to do my training and the cycling part of my challenge.

“I think it might have hooked people’s attention because a lot of the people who have been in situations like me haven’t been as lucky.”.

Matt will be documenting his challenge via his Facebook that he set up called ‘Repay The Rescuers’, with any donations welcomed via the page.