NICK FREEMAN: The Loophole Lawyer from Mere. Never afraid to court controversy

When two men and a dog went to raise money for a cause close to their hearts, the wondrous Cheshire countryside joined the campaign

When it comes to fighting, I prefer to do mine in the courtroom. So when a burly farmworker leaped from his JCB, muscles rippling like a Poundland Rambo, and demanded to know why I was standing in his field, only one word came to my mind. Run.

Not that I was doing anything wrong. But lockdown doesn’t always bring out the best in people.

“What you doing in this field? You eat a sandwich?” he thundered. Not a criminal offense according to my modest knowledge of the law. And anyway it was an energy bar.

My son Ben and I were having our first pitstop after walking 10 miles and needed something quick to eat. Immediately my accuser reached for his… mobile phone and edged nearer. “Keep your social distance,” I yelled with attempted authority, albeit a little too much squeak in my voice, before Ben pulled my arm and we stepped over a low, wire fence to get back on the lane and marched away at top speed.

Such are the challenges of trying to complete a charity walk in a time of lockdown. Or in my case, Mr. Loophole’s 60.60.60 Challenge for Parkinson’s.

Planned way before the pandemic (remember those days?), the intention was for Ben and me to hike 60 miles from my Cheshire home to the home of my brother John in Nottingham. John has Parkinson’s and recently celebrated his 60th birthday.