CANADIAN Phil Shaw arrived in Newport as he continued an epic journey across Britain and Ireland - by ski.

The 36-year-old cross-country skier is travelling through most of the major towns and cities of the British Isles on roller-skis in a bid to raise awareness of the health risks associated with smoking.

Mr Shaw travels between cities by train because "skiing on the highway is against the law", but he plans to ski between 5,000 and 6,000 miles during his three-month journey. Roller-skiing or land-skiing is used in Canada to maintain fitness by cross-country skiers.

Mr Shaw, of Rosemere, Quebec, has won hundreds of medals in local competitions for cross-country skiiing and was awarded a bronze medal in the last world championships.

He spreads his anti-smoking message by visiting pubs in his roller-skiing kit and handing out business cards bearing the legend, "My message is 'Smoke less, exercise more' with all due respect, Phil Shaw".

Last summer, he spent nearly five months skiing across Canada, from St John's, Newfoundland to Vancouver on a 12,000-mile odyssey. And in 1995, he in-line skated across Canada in 72 days, setting a Guinness World Record for endurance.

He rolled into Newport on Monday, for a brief visit before heading on to Cardiff. Mr Shaw set off on his anti-tobacco crusade because smoking has robbed his parents of their health, leading to his father needing open-heart surgery.

"My father has had the courage to give up cigarettes, and skiing is my way of paying tribute to how he has taken up his challenge," said Mr Shaw.