A CANCER survivor is limbering up to cycle over 4,000 miles around the coast of Great Britain for charity.

Estate agent Bill Honeywell aims to raise £20,000 for Cancer Research UK, as a thank you for the help he received beating testicular and bowel cancer, and in memory of friend Margaret Watkins, who died of breast cancer two years ago.

He began training for the 10-week challenge starting on May 10, by cycling 120 miles through the Ribble Valley countryside last week.

Mr Honeywell, from Clitheroe, said: “I’ve always wanted to cycle around the country, and this is a good opportunity to raise money for charity.

“I’m planning to get hold of a motor home and find volunteers to drive behind me in stints. I’ve also had offers from friends to ride with me for two or three days, but for half of the time I will be on my own.

“I’ll have to do 75 to 80 miles per day to complete the route in time - it’s just going to be a case of getting my head down, and breaking it up into 20-mile sections that don’t sound as bad.”

Mr Honeywell will be eating two breakfasts each day, snacking while riding, and gorging on pasta as he travels through from Clitheroe, to Scotland, Hartlepool, Norfolk, Southampton, and Wales, before returning to Clitheroe.

He will be sticking to roads using a lightweight road bike on fine days, and a more heavy-duty road bike with mudguards in the rain and mud.

It’s not the first time the 58-year-old has put his body on the line for a good cause. In 2009 he completed all 214 Wainwrights walks in the Lake District in 55 days, raising over £10,000 for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

He has also cycled from Land's End to John o'Groats in 2003 for The Christie Hospital, and from Rotterdam to Denmark in 2005, and the 120-mile first stage of the Tour de France in 2007 for the MS Society.

Donate by logging onto www.billhoneywell.blogspot.com