Sean Morley has completed several record-breaking paddles before

Sean Morley is planning to complete the 4,200-mile trip within six months.

Mr Morley, who is an officer with the Camborne police traffic department, left from the Cornwall Maritime Museum in Falmouth just before midday.

He was seen off by Royal Navy ship HMS Tracker, a local lifeboat and a dozen fellow kayakers as he headed west.

The first leg of his journey will take him 15 miles from Falmouth Harbour to Kennack Sands.

It is an ambitious project and the weather conditions may make it impossible for me to complete the full route in six months Sean Morley

Mr Morley, 37, is a former member of the British kayak racing team and has completed several record-breaking paddles, including a 500-mile circumnavigation of Scotland.

He does not have a permanent back-up team, but on the longest section of open sea crossing a support vessel will be standing by.

On his own personal website, Mr Morley said: "I will paddle clockwise around the coastline and I estimate it will take me about six months to complete the journey.

"I will attempt to circumnavigate the whole of the United Kingdom and Ireland, including every inhabited offshore island.

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"It is an ambitious project and the weather conditions may make it impossible for me to complete the full route in six months.

"If that happens, I will abort the crossings to the offshore islands and concentrate on the main challenge, which is completing the first solo circumnavigation of the mainland of the UK and Ireland."

In 1986, a three-man team of Bill Taylor, Mick Wibrew and Richard Elliott became the first people to complete a similar trip in a time of 155 days, averaging 17 miles a day.