An inspirational explorer has set sail on an epic adventure travelling around the UK.

Geoff Holt MBE DL, from Titchfield, set sail from St Katherine’s Dock this week in a record-breaking first-of-its-kind challenge.

The journey will see the 58-year-old quadriplegic and his team circumnavigate the UK coastline over the next four to six weeks.

They will call at 17 accessible ports across the country with a goal to raise £1.2m in aid of his charity Wetwheels Foundation.

READ MORE: Quadriplegic adventurer set to circumnavigate the UK in his toughest challenge

Funds raised from the challenge will allow for four new Wetwheels boats, offering life-changing experiences to over 5,000 of the most profoundly disabled people each year.

The ports included in the challenge include: St Katharine’s Dock in London; Dover; Portsmouth; Torbay; Falmouth; Dale; Holyhead; Belfast; Tobermory; Stornoway; Scrabster; Peterhead; Edinburgh; North Shields; Whitby; Lowestoft and then back to London.

Geoff was paralysed in a swimming accident in 1984 and has spent 40 years in a wheelchair.

In 2007 he became the first severely disabled person to sail single-handed around Great Britain, and in 2009 he was the first quadriplegic to sail across the Atlantic Ocean unassisted.

As he started his challenge, Geoff said: “(This ) is the start of the next chapter in my life and possibly my biggest challenge to date.

“Having spent 40 years in a wheelchair, paralysed from the chest down, the sea has been my salvation, the freedom and independence I get when I am afloat, I can forget about my disability.

“I have devoted most of my life to promoting the opportunities and benefits sailing offers disabled people and now this is my opportunity to spread that message throughout the United Kingdom.”

He added: "My biggest hope is we can inspire more disabled people to join us for an experience on Wetwheels.

"Hopefully this will also inspire people to raise money to achieve my dream of acquiring another four Wetwheels boats, making a total of 12 around the UK."

He will return to St Katharine’s Dock in June.