THREE cycling friends from Chillaton arrived at Land's End recently after a 12-day ride from John O'Groats.

Tim Woodward, Rod Stewart and Jamie Rutherford did not take the direct route and managed to cover more than 1,100 miles during the course of the journey.

There were many highlights on the journey and they said it was a great thrill to see dolphins swimming alongside the ferry as they travelled across to the Isle of Arran. A red squirrel was spotted near Keswick in the Lake District and this rare sight capped a fantastic ride through the fells.

The next day took the riders down to Manchester and a visit to the Manchester Velodrome.

Tim said: 'It was fascinating to see the steep track and the speed at which cyclists could race around it. There was even a chance meeting with Chris Hoy, the multiple gold medallist, in the reception area.'

Jamie then insisted that the group made a pilgrimage to the home of his beloved Manchester United.

Further south, the group climbed over the Malvern Hills and down to Bath before heading for Minehead and then over Exmoor and back into Devon. The final day was a relatively quick ride of 101 miles from Chillaton to Land's End, helped by the fact that they no longer needed to carry their panniers of luggage.

'The reduction in weight was almost like having an engine,' said Tim.

Tim, Jamie and Rod would like to thank everyone who helped them to raise just over £1,000 for Woodlands Special School in Plymouth and they are sure that the money will bring real pleasure to a group of disadvantaged children.