The fed-up husband set off on his 200km journey on a bicycle.

Everybody fantasises about doing a runner when your partner is doing your head in – but in reality you either get over it and carry on with your everyday life or tell them you’ve had enough.

But Malcolm Applegate actually did do a runner – and not just for a couple of hours or days – but for five years - and then remained in hiding for another five years at a homeless shelter.

The now 62-year-old was so sick of his wife’s nagging that he took off to the woods and lived there.

“It wasn’t until I got married that my life became increasingly unsettled. The more work I took on, the angrier my wife got – she didn’t like me being out of the house for long periods of time,” Malcolm, who has loved being a gardener for the past 25 years, explained to the Emmaus Greenwich website.

“The controlling behaviour started to get out of hand and she demanded that I cut my hours.

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this.

"After a long time trying to stay in the marriage, I decided to leave for good. Without a word to anyone, not even family, I packed up and left… I went missing for 10 years.”

One seriously epic journey!!

To prove how determined Malcolm was to get as far away as possible from his wife – he set out on his bike to make the 200km trek from Birmingham to London.

And to make his epic mission even tougher – Malclom’s bike got stolen – so he was forced to complete the rest of the long journey on foot – taking him three weeks.

Once he arrived Malcolm camped in thick woodland near Kingston in southwest London.

“I made that home for five years while maintaining the gardens at a local community centere for the elderly," Malcolm said.

“I enjoyed my life, but when I heard about Emmaus through a fellow ‘runaway’, I knew that would suit me better. I went to Emmaus Greenwich for an interview and moved in almost immediately."

Malcolm loves his new home and life at the Emmaus Greenwich homeless shelter. Source: Facebook

An emotional reunion with his sister

For an entire decade there wasn't a single soul from his past life that had any idea where Malcolm was.

That was until the staff at the South London homeless shelter encouraged Malcolm to get in touch with his sister.

“It had been a decade since I’d last seen her, and in that time she had been to all of the Salvation Army hostels in the South trying to find me; I think she assumed I was dead,” he said. “I wrote her a letter once I was settled in Greenwich and she phoned me up, in floods of tears. We now have a great relationship again.”

Malclom now spends his days working in the charity’s shop or driving the vans.

“I’m not fussy what jobs are given to me as long as I’m working. In my spare time, I enjoy doing sponsored walks for other homeless charities. My recent walk through London raised almost £300 ($AUD500) for Street Souls, not bad for a man in his sixties!”

Malcolm couldn’t be happier with his new life

“I’d like the people who donate to Emmaus to know that I am grateful for being given a second chance at life. I have a lovely room, I am able to work and I can still lead an active social life – I love it here - my life is officially back on track.”