A former regional journalist who undertook a month-long road trip after qualifying for a free bus pass has written a book about his experiences.

Dave Hadfield has penned Route 63: Around England on a Free Bus Pass, documenting his journey around the country.

Dave, who worked on the Bolton Evening News as well as weekly titles in Shropshire before later becoming a sports writer on The Independent, boarded around 100 different buses during his adventure.

Beginning and ending in his hometown of Bolton, he attempted to avoid major cities during his tour.

Said Dave: “I tried to go around the edge of England as far as I could. The one thing that struck me was how green and empty so much of England is.”

He added: “I always avoid Birmingham like the plague, I always find going through Birmingham quite a stressful experience.

“I was going to avoid London, but my son lives in London, and said to me ‘you’ve got to respect the capital, so I did include London.”

Route 63: Around England on a Free Bus Pass, published by Scratching Shed, is £13.99.