A FATHER of two who cycled the length of the country has raised £2,000 for Weldmar Hospicecare Trust.

Paul Vallance, 46, of Comet Close, Lanehouse, took ten and a half days to cycle the 1,000 miles from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’Groats in Scotland, averaging 90 miles a day.

Mr Vallance, who works as a planner for BT, cycled in memory of his mother-in-law Carol-Ann Keenan, who died six years ago from breast cancer, and his aunt Jean Dagger, who died of a brain tumour in 2008.

Both women spent time in the Joseph Weld Hospice before they died and Mr Vallance said that he ‘wanted to repay them for all they had done’ for his family.

Mr Vallance said: “The first three days through Cornwall and Devon were the best. The terrain was hardest with lots of hills but the weather was great and I was still fresh and keen.

“I became saddle sore on day four going from Bristol to Shrewsbury.

“The terrain was a lot flatter but the wind turned northerly, which meant it was right in my face for the rest of the trip.”

He added: “I had quite a few punctures and fell off my bike near Carlisle, hurt my wrist and damaged my bike but managed to get it fixed the following day.

“I met my brother, Gary, from the train at Spean Bridge and we cycled together for the last two days.

“The last day was really bad, in fact we both were blown off our bikes. Still we made it to John O’Groats by 7:30pm.”

The route is normally 876 miles, but Mr Vallance said it was closer to 1,000 miles in all as he got lost a few times.

Mr Vallance was determined to finish in ten days, as he had to rush home for his daughter Katie’s fourth birthday party.

The cheque will be presented to TV star Martin Clunes at the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust summer fete in Dorchester on July 17.

So far Mr Vallance has raised £2,000 for the Trust and donations are still being taken at www.justgiving.com/paulvallance