THE presentation of a holiday voucher by motor racing ace Nigel Mansell and the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall to a little boy from Sticklepath marked the end of a gruelling charity challenge through Devon and Cornwall last week.

Five-year-old James Danks, who suffers from leukaemia, was presented with his voucher at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital on Friday.

The presentation was the culmination of a 200-mile challenge from Land's End to Exeter, which involved Chief Constable Sir John Evans cycling, walking and rowing in an attempt to raise £10,000 for the charity Dream-a-Way, which provides holidays for disabled people in the South West.

Sir John was accompanied by other police officers during the challenge, including MPC Kevin Reed, based at Okehampton Traffic Unit.

It was MPC Reed who heard about little James and put his name forward as a deserving winner of a seaside holiday at Exmouth.

James's mum Ann said: 'It was brilliant. He was really excited about the idea of going in a caravan, and the beach.'

Ann said she thought someone was pulling her leg when she and her husband Jim were first approached about the holiday.

'You don't get people offering free holidays like that — it was really nice.'

She said she, Jim and James were hoping to take their break in May — and they are keeping their fingers crossed that James will be fit enough to go.

After the presentation, Inspector Marilyn Wignall paid tribute to the fundraising efforts of MPC Reed during the challenge.

She said: 'He has raised about £1,000 himself and has done exceptionally well. I'd like to thank all the people from the Tavistock and Okehampton area for their contributions — hopefully people can see from today what the challenge was all about.'