A NORTH East peer who took more than six million steps for peace across Europe was yesterday welcomed home by two of Britain’s greatest Olympians.

Michael Bates walked 3,000 miles in the name of the Olympic Truce – which encourages warring nations to still their guns during the Games.

He started from Olympia, in Greece, and travelled through more than a dozen countries to reach the Houses of Parliament in London.

Over 10 months, Lord Bates braved searing heat, freezing weather and a broken arm – but also had an audience with the Pope as he took his campaign to schools and politicians, as well as athletes.

Olympians Jonathan Edwards and Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson yesterday welcomed the Tory peer on the final leg of the journey, taking him from the site of this year’s Olympics in east London to Parliament. Cheering friends and family also gathered outside Parliament to welcome him home.

Lord Bates said: “I did it to promote the Olympic Truce, which is something that not many people have heard of, but actually, the Ancient Games were started with one purpose in mind and that was to create a pause in the constant state of fighting between the various city states in Greece.

“And the Olympic Truce is now a United Nations resolution, which is signed by all 193 countries in the world – but implemented by none.

“And I thought what a wonderful thing if we could rediscover that ancient purpose and ancient idealism for London 2012.”

He said he hoped the London Olympics would be a wonderful sporting occasion that passed off peacefully – and that countries might do one thing by enacting the truce.

“There are already 12 countries pledged to implement, led – I am pleased to say – by the British Government,” said the former MP.