A British man has taken on the challenge of cycling from the UK to Ukraine – and claims he's been bitten, run over and has had to seek shelter in abandoned buildings along the trip.

Ethan Overton embarked on the journey of a lifetime, cycling over 1,240 miles from Harwich, Essex, to Ukraine in a bid to raise money for those affected by the war.

Overton, who previously e-scootered from London to Amsterdam to raise money for the homeless, decided to challenge himself once again with the aim of making a difference.

But it hasn't been an easy ride, with the digital content creator, aged 20, experiencing lots of hiccups along the way – including being attacked by a dog, run over by a car and seeking shelter in abandoned homes.

"I was bitten by a dog and ran over by a BMW – but neither were my fault, it's just part and parcel of doing something like this," Overton, from Bournemouth, said.

"[With the car crash], a lady pulled out and knocked me off my bike when leaving the shops.

"Her plate came off and my pedal was lodged into her bumper.

"I'm alternating between camping, AirBnBs and sleeping in abandoned buildings.

"It was very scary and I heard wolves that night, but I wanted to switch things up from camping."

Starting on April 1, 2023, he's now over halfway to his final destination and so far, has raised over £2,700 out of his £5,000 target.

While he's eager to complete the journey, he's experienced many cultures along the way, which he'll remember for a lifetime.

He said: "German countryside is magnificent and the Netherlands is catered to cyclists, so very smooth and designated routes.

"In Poland, people are friendly, but lorry drivers don't give me enough room when passing.

"I've got to stay focus at all times to make sure I don't get run over again.

"Locals have been making me breakfast and dinner at no extra charge, getting me beers and donating along the way.

"Despite the minority being a pain, the majority of people are kind, caring and welcoming."

Overton, who claims family and friends have called him "stupid" for the challenge, believes there's too much negativity online surrounding the war and wants to use his platform to change that.

He added: "Without getting too political, I don't know how something like this could happen in the 21st century.

"Meeting people along the way with families out in Ukraine has just added to this upset – it's tragic.

"After my trip to Amsterdam, [my family] aren't shocked by any of the ideas I have, but this doesn't stop them from worrying.

"Now, I am going to the border and then will decide what happens from there."

A British man has taken on the challenge of cycling from the UK to Ukraine – and claims he's been bitten, run over and has had to seek shelter in abandoned buildings along the trip.

Ethan Overton embarked on the journey of a lifetime, cycling over 1,240 miles from Harwich, Essex, to Ukraine in a bid to raise money for those affected by the war.

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded parts of Ukraine and since, there has been thousands of deaths on both sides, as well as many people displaced from their homes.

Ethan, who previously e-scootered from London to Amsterdam to raise money for the homeless, decided to challenge himself once again with the aim of making a difference.

But it hasn't been an easy ride, with the digital content creator, aged 20, experiencing lots of hiccups along the way – including being attacked by a dog, run over by a car and seeking shelter in abandoned homes.

"I was bitten by a dog and ran over by a BMW – but neither were my fault, it's just part and parcel of doing something like this," Ethan, from Bournemouth, told NeedToKnow.co.uk.

"[With the car crash], a lady pulled out and knocked me off my bike when leaving the shops.

"Her plate came off and my pedal was lodged into her bumper.

"I'm alternating between camping, AirBnBs and sleeping in abandoned buildings.

"It was very scary and I heard wolves that night, but I wanted to switch things up from camping."

Starting on 1 April 2023, he's now over halfway to his final destination and so far, has raised over £2,700 out of his £5,000 target.

While he's eager to complete the journey, he's experienced many cultures along the way, which he'll remember for a lifetime.

He said: "German countryside is magnificent and the Netherlands is catered to cyclists, so very smooth and designated routes.

"In Poland, people are friendly, but lorry drivers don't give me enough room when passing.

"I've got to stay focus at all times to make sure I don't get run over again.

"Locals have been making me breakfast and dinner at no extra charge, getting me beers and donating along the way.

"Despite the minority being a pain, the majority of people are kind, caring and welcoming."

Ethan, who claims family and friends have called him "stupid" for the challenge, believes there's too much negativity online surrounding the war and wants to use his platform to change that.

He added: "Without getting too political, I don't know how something like this could happen in the 21st century.

"Meeting people along the way with families out in Ukraine has just added to this upset – it's tragic.

"After my trip to Amsterdam, [my family] aren't shocked by any of the ideas I have, but this doesn't stop them from worrying.

"Now, I am going to the border and then will decide what happens from there."