AN enterprising engineer has returned from a trip of a lifetime after driving his scooter to the Arctic Circle.

Paul Rigby, from Belmont, had always wanted to complete the gruelling 4,000-mile journey and decided to help others at the same time by raising cash for Bolton charity Vision Aid.

The 47-year-old loaded up his 125cc scooter, headed to Newcastle, hopped on the ferry to Norway and then ambled his way through the countryside and mountains until he reached Nordkapp, the most northerly point in Europe.

The father-of-two said: "It was surprising that up in the mountains it was deep with snow in the middle of summer.

"The temperature got colder and colder the nearer I got to the Arctic Circle, but then all of a sudden the weather started to get warmer and it was 24-hour daylight so I could ride until the early hours of the morning. "It was a brilliant trip and the scenery in Norway was just fantastic."

Paul never got lonely on his three-and-a-half week trip as he met plenty of people and came across a few strange sights.

He added: "I came across a gang of German motorcyclists at the North Cape who had taken the easy route coming up through Sweden. They were all on 1100cc bikes and then I appeared on my little scooter!"

Paul also recalls how he was happily driving his scooter one evening and spotted what he thought was a big dog by the side of the road, but on approaching the animal realised it was a wolf and put his foot down to escape!

He is still collecting sponsorship money -- which he hopes will be several hundred pounds -- to help Vision Aid in their move to new premises later this year and hopes to take a bigger bike on a coast to coast tour of America in a couple of years.