A POLICEMAN from Wareham is following in the footsteps of Ewan McGregor and attempting his own marathon motorbike trip.

In 2004 the Hollywood star and pal Charley Boorman rode around the world in their Long Way Round TV series.

Not long after, PC Barry Ashdown, who was recovering after being involved in an accident in Swanage riding his police motorbike, was given the DVD of the TV series, which inspired him to have a go himself.

The epic journey kicks off on Friday, May 8, and will see PC Ashdown’s BMW bike, three other riders and a support vehicle travel through Holland, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Russia to Mongolia.

They will spend a month there before returning back through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, across the Caspian Sea, through Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Greece, and then through Europe back to the UK.

PC Ashdown spent 18 months off work recovering from his injuries, which included a smashed femur, damaged knee ligaments and broken ankle.

He said: “The past couple of months have been quite hectic. We have been prepping the bikes, buying equipment, looking at routes, exploring various health implications and getting vaccinations.

“I am slightly apprehensive about the trip. I am not worried about the on-road mileage, I’m more concerned about the 2,000 miles off-road through Mongolia where it’s going to be difficult to negotiate such a heavy bike through some of the rough terrain.”