HATHERLEIGH man Graeme Willgress has returned home after successfully completing his 4,069-mile cycle journey around the UK mainland coast this summer.

Graeme, 51, used the ride to raise money for charity Sustrans to support the National Cycle Network, which he credits with helping him tackle the serious mental health problems he has suffered since adolescence.

Graeme sais: 'It has been an incredible experience. People really got behind the ride and my reasons for doing it. Being more active improves my mental heath enormously and it was only the existence of a good, traffic-free section of National Cycle Network near my house that allowed me to start cycling as a means of recovery.'

The journey took Graeme four months, during which he spoke to many people about their own experiences of mental health, as well as raising more than £2,500 for Sustrans to support their work on the National Cycle Network.

Graeme, who hopes to ride again next year, said now he is home he would be concentrating on writing a book about the story of the ride, and plans to give talks over the winter months.