A HAMPSHIRE man is gearing up to ride across Britain in a bid to raise £15,000 for charity.

James Gamble will be taking part in Deloitte Ride Across Britain where he will tackle 980 miles from Land’s End, Cornwall, to John O’Groats, Scotland.

The store manager at M&S will ride through 27 counties, starting today and finishing on September 15, for the charity Nerve Tumours UK.

The 42-year-old from Hedge End, said: “Six years ago, our youngest daughter, Lily, was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis at the age of three, and since then, the charity has been invaluable to our family.

“Neurofibromatosis affects 25,000 people in the country, equating to 1 in 2,500 of the population. It’s a genetic disorder where tumours form on nerve tissue.

“Lily struggles to spend long periods of time on her feet without pain, she gets very itchy skin and she has lumps on her body that are tumours.”

James’ training hit a bump in the road when he was knocked off his bike and broke his collar bone in four places, costing him ten weeks of preparation time.

James added the accident spurred him on to complete the ride.

He said: “If a cheeky nine-year-old can smile through pain and frustration, then the least her Dad can do is get up a bit earlier and ride through a bit of temporary pain.”

To donate to James’ cause, visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=JamesGamble&pageUrl=5.

To find out more about Ride Across BritainRide Across Britain, visit: https://www.rideacrossbritain.com/