A BELLRINGER is home after cycling from Land's End to John o'Groats - and breaking his wrist half-way.

Veteran campanologist Tim Collins of Bradford Peverell rang 14 sets of church bells during the ride, despite coming a cropper near Carlisle and having to ride the last 400 miles in a cast.

Mr Collins, who has been ringing peals for around 40 years, says even with the pain and the setbacks, the whole trip was great fun.

He said: "I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. It was absolutely brilliant and I loved every minute of it. "There were times when it was a fair amount of work, but it was definitely worth it."

Mathematician Mr Collins succeeded in ringing peals in three extremes of mainland Britain, with a peal at the Lizard, Land's End and one in the far north of Scotland. He also rang peals in 11 other churches around the country as well as cycling up to 100 miles a day.

But the whole venture nearly had to be abandoned just short of the Scottish border when the nationally-renowned bellringer came off his bike.

He said: "I was going down a hill towards a double bend followed by a bridge which had a hump-back sign.

"The road suddenly dropped away and there was an extreme right hand bend with no real indication of how sharp it was. As I tried to negotiate the curve I lost traction on the wheel and went straight into the fence. It was very painful.

"I went to Carlisle Hospital and got it seen to, then I had to make a decision.

"I decided since I had got so far I might as well carry on. "It wasn't as easy as it had been before and I had to be a bit more careful because I effectively only had one brake." The bell ringing also continued, but on slightly smaller bells than before.

Mr Collins said: "For the last four peals I was able to ring lighter bells than I had because I could only do it with one hand."

Mr Collins, who has rung peals in America and Canada, was raising money on the way for his local tower at Bradford Peverell, where the ring of five bells is to be augmented to eight.

He was also raising money for the Dorset County Association of Church Bell Ringers' Bell Restoration Fund, which provides cash to any Dorset tower for the maintenance and improvement of its bells.

Sponsorship money continues to roll in and anyone who would like to contribute should call Mr Collins on 01305 266757.