A GROUP of cyclists will be hitting the roads this summer and cycling 1,000 kilometres across France and into Spain for charity.

The trip is being made to raise funds for the charity Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, and is being organised by 67-year-old John Hyson from Hittisleigh.

He will be joined on the journey by close family friend Tina Bowyer, along with her son and daughter.

The intrepid cyclists are not only looking for sponsorship. John said: 'We've already had a local cycling group express an interest in joining us, and my brother may be coming along, too.

'If anybody else would like to come along, that would be fantastic, and all we ask is a minimum of £100 sponsorship.

'You don't have to do the whole route either — you can just do a short section if you'd like.

'Don't worry that you won't keep up; we're not going to be sprinting the route. Old, fat and slow describes me!'

The entire ride is expected to take around a fortnight, and John hopes to raise up to £10,000 from the journey. They have already received a generous donation from Hi-Line Contractors.

Explaining the reason behind the journey, John said: 'At the age of two, my son Matthew was diagnosed with leukaemia and we were told he had less than a 50% chance of survival.

'Matthew was one of the lucky ones and was kept going with radiotherapy and chemotherapy for nearly eight years, until at the age of 9 it was discovered that his younger brother was a suitable bone marrow donor, and the cancerous cells were destroyed.'

The radiation used during Matthew's childhood caused a number of serious health problems for him, but throughout everything, he has continued to lead an independent life.

Matthew later gained a Higher National Diploma at Hereford College of Art and now helps children who are not able to go through the normal educational system.

John said: 'I will never forget how surprised and proud I was walking along with Matthew one day and a youngster passed us and said to Matthew: "Hello Sir! How are you?"

'For the past 30 years my wife Sheila has been raising money for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, but now it's my turn.'

More information on John's challenge can be found at http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/johnhyson">www.virginmoneygiving.com/johnhyson where you can also sponsor John's journey.

If you fancy a challenge while raising money for a good cause and want to join John on the ride, you can contact him on 01647 231459.