British man refused access to Channel Tunnel to complete 36,000-mile walk around world

A British ex-paratrooper has been refused access to the Channel Tunnel to complete a staggering 36,000-mile trek around the world.

Karl Bushby, from Hull, was denied permission to traverse the 31-mile tunnel on foot as part of his epic expedition.

The globe-trotter embarked on his remarkable journey from Chile back in 1998 and has now reached Belgium. The English Channel was his final major obstacle before home.

But, to his dismay, Eurotunnel informed Mr Bushby his formal application to walk through a service tunnel had been rejected yesterday.

Instead, the company stressed safety and operational concerns in an attempt to justify their reasoning.

The rules of his self-imposed challenge prohibit him from using any form of transport and, as a result, Mr Bushby said he was prepared to swim the Channel if necessary.

In an official statement, Eurotunnel explained the Service Tunnel functions as a dedicated route for safety and maintenance purposes.

"Access is also tightly controlled and any activity within it requires detailed planning and specialist support," a spokesman said.

The company warned shutting down this passage for the 15 hours required, or potentially across two days, would create risks for passenger services while disrupting vital maintenance operations.

Eurotunnel added protecting passengers, staff and infrastructure remained their greatest concern and said all activities inside the tunnel must abide by high operational standards.

Despite the refusal, the company congratulated the 57-year-old on his "incredible journey" and wished him well for the remainder of his journey home.

But the rejection did not dim the hope of Mr Bushby, who said: "I've only just been told of the decision and it's early days.

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"Clearly, my team will need to have conversations, but if I have to swim across the Channel then I am prepared to do that."

He added: "I may have to start paddling again."

Swimming is far from unfamiliar territory for the Hull adventurer. In 2006, he navigated the Bering Strait, battling through gaps in the ice whilst wearing an immersion suit.

More recently, in 2024, he became the first person ever to complete a 186-mile swim across the Caspian Sea.

Mr Bushby anticipates arriving in Calais, France, by September, which will bring him tantalisingly close to British soil.

On a possible rejection from the Eurotunnel, the adventurer told the BBC: "It would be pretty miserable if it was a no. Even the Russians let me through (their country), despite world tensions."

That comparison underscores the irony of completing a journey spanning continents and geopolitical boundaries, only to face bureaucratic obstacles at the final stretch.

When his expedition comes to an end, Mr Bushby plans to finish at his childhood home in Hull, where his mother will be waiting to greet him after nearly three decades of walking.

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