A BARNOLDSWICK man who lost his arm while serving with the armed forces will cycle a gruelling 140 miles in three days for charity next month.

Mark Brown, 52, from Kelbrook Road, who lost his left arm in a motorbike accident in Shropshire in 1981, will join four friends after they ride from Morecambe to Filey, on the east coast.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Their challenge will begin on Monday, April 6, when the team will set off to raise money for Blesma, a national military charity that helps servicemen who have lost limbs or eyesight.

They will pass through Ingleton, Hawes, Redmire, Leyburn, Thirsk, and Malton, before ending on the seafront at Filey on Thursday.

Mark said: “I think because we are doing it as a group, we have strengths and weaknesses. I don’t think it will be easy.

“We have two lads who are paraplegic and on hand-bikes so they will find the hills in particular difficult, but we will pull together. We will start as a team and we will finish as a team.”

Mr Brown, the Lancashire Telegraph’s sports person of the year in 2001, represented the UK in the Paralympic games in Atlanta in 1996, Sydney in 2000, and in Athens in 2004.

He retired due to injury, but still cycles regularly with Barnoldswick Clarion and Pendle Forest Cycling Club, although he insists it’s for ‘leisure and enjoyment’ rather than competition.

His friend Jonathan Bell, who coordinated the ride, said: “This is about Blesma members putting something back in, it’s as simple as that.

“We want to make sure more injured guys have the opportunities that we’ve had by raising as much money as possible for this fantastic charity that has helped us so much.”

Between them, the team have already collected £4,500 but are determined to raise as much as possible.

Barry Le Grys, chief executive of Blesma, said: “Jonathan and his fellows wish to put ‘something back in’.

“This is the fellowship that Blesma is.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/MARK-BROWN48.