Window cleaner spends TEN YEARS burying secret stashes of supplies in woods across UK in case of an Apocalypse
Ian Coulthard 46, has trained himself to survive in the wild
A WINDOW cleaner has been preparing for an apocalypse for the last decade - even burying secret stashes of supplies in woodlands all over the UK.
Ian Coulthard, 46, has trained himself to survive in the wild, fearing social and economic collapse could come in the next 20 years.
Batchelor, Coulthard from Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, has pinpointed around 35 spots in Scotland, northern England and Wales, where he could seek refuge if his safety is threatened.
Speaking for the first time about his survivalist lifestyle, Mr Coulthard said: "I am preparing for the scenario where you have to get out of your house fast.
"I have places to go, safe places, where I have food and first aid supplies stashed, which can last me up to ten days.
"Not everyone is preparing for an apocalypse.
"It's just a very possible scenario.
"In the last decade alone, we have had floods, drought, riots and recession, so I hope people can see how prepping is an important aspect of anyone's life."
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Mr Coulthard has always been interested in the outdoors, but in recent years he has become more wary of the potential for 'social and economic chaos' to wreak havoc.
His fears include terrorism, a major virus and civil war breaking out in Britain.
Mr Coulthard who now runs his own high-reach window cleaning business, first got a flavour for the wild when he spent six years in the Territorial Army in his 20s and again for ten years when he was 35, doing two tours of Afghanistan.
He believes the military training and survival skills he has developed himself will help him survive in the wild.
Ten years ago Mr Coulthard started finding secluded places around the UK, keeping a record of each location, meanwhile honing is survival skills and sleeping outside in a hammock or on the floor, even in the snow.
"I prepare for the winter as I don't have gas in my terrace house, just an old coke fire, although I do have electricity," he added.
In each of his 'stash sites', created for back up in case the apocalypse hits, Mr Coulthard has around £35 worth of food and first-aid supplies.
He says it is enough to live on for ten days on 5,000 calories a day while on the move, or longer on a smaller diet.
"Social and economic collapse could happen, probably in 15 to 20 years and people need to be prepared to survive," he said.
"It is reassuring that I have these stashes, but I know I could survive and live off the land.
"I really don't want it all to go wrong.
"I want the world to be a beautiful place but that's not going to happen."
Mr Coulthard says he would take his elderly parents with him if they wanted to leave in a last-resort-scenario.
He runs bug-out (or emergency) survival weekends, teaching people how to stay alive when evacuating from a disaster.
Mr Coulthard added: "I don't think people should go out and panic.
"But this is a possible scenario and I think people should be prepared for it."