Soldier dad goes extra mile

SERVING soldier Mac McGearey was supporting his severely disabled daughter Ciara, 13, in more ways than one yesterday, after pledging to walk 500 miles to raise the money needed to send her to a specialist school.

Council bosses have refused to pay to send Ciara to the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh, despite an independent tribunal ruling that it is the best place for her.

The council has appealed against the finding and Warrant Officer Class 1 Mr McGearey, who is due to be deployed to Afghanistan in June, said he could no longer wait for lawyers and politicians to sort out the situation.

He was joined at Redford Barracks by his daughter yesterday as he said he hoped to raise at least 20,000 through the sponsored walk.