A MAN will be pedalling to help ensure schoolchildren continue to get an education and clean water in the aftermath of a global epidemic.

Andy McElroy is to cycle 1,000 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats in 10 days to raise £1,500 towards the CESO (Community Empowerment Support Organisation) charity.

This is a charity is working in Sierra Leone to rebuild a school and community devastated by the Ebola crisis.

Andy, who is an operations manager at NATS in Swanwick, got involved with the charity four years ago as a good friend of one of its trustees.

He has fundraised for them several times, running marathons in Edinburgh and Paris.

Andy works training around shift work at NATS, where he has worked for 11 years, and running the Landfall B&B, in Hamble High Street, with wife Erica, 49, which they opened in March.

This has meant rides at 5am.

The 41-year-old, who hails originally from Alloa in Scotland, but moved south in 1991 when he joined the air force, will be cheered on by family and friends at different points on the route when the challenge begins on September 9.

He will need to cover an average 100 miles a day to complete the challenge.

But Andy, who is half way to his £1,500 fundraising target, is determined to help those living in war torn Sierra Leone, raising funds for the Ivor Leigh Memorial School in Kaningo.

The school was set up by CESO in 2006, using a temporary building made of corrugated iron and tarpaulin, but became a permanent building in September 2011.

Around 250 pupils attended until the Ebola crisis closed all the schools in the country in July 2014.

There were eight deaths from the epidemic in the Kaningo community whose children attend the school, and another 15 in nearby communities, as well as the local doctor and several nurses.

Many families lost much of their income during the outbreak and cannot now afford the school fees.

The school needs funds in order to secure a clean water supply, which is also used by the wider community, repairs to the school and to fund teachers' salaries.

"It's making a difference and it's giving people opportunities," said Andy.

"I was looking for something a bit more challenging, something where people would appreciate the effort and sacrifice.

"My family think I'm absolutely bonkers.

"I'm thinking 'why have I done this?' - the challenge just gets bigger every time I look at it."

To support Andy visit justgiving.com/andy-mcelroyLejog and to find out more about his progress in training or on the ride visit the Facebook page 'Andy's Lands End to John'o'Groats Page'.