A CHESHIRE man has crossed returned to his home village after cycling 4,100 miles in the name of Prostate Cancer UK.

Gareth Lyon, from Tarporley, completed the journey on July 2 having raised more than £25,000 for the charity. Having begun his 'Great Tour of Britain' on May 14, the director at NTT Data UK had cycled roughly 100 miles a day over seven weeks.

Joined by friends, colleagues and a support crew which included his dad – his inspiration for the ride – Gareth tackled a multitude of weather and road conditions as he covered the entirety of the UK coastline on two wheels before returning home to a hero’s welcome surrounded by friends and family on Saturday.

The 49-year-old was inspired to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK after his dad and uncle were affected by the disease.

Chester and District Standard: Gareth returned to his home village of Tarporley where he was given a hero's welcome.Gareth returned to his home village of Tarporley where he was given a hero's welcome.

Gareth said: "This journey has surpassed all of my expectations. It has restored my faith in humanity as the kindness of strangers has been ever-present. It has also tested me to my limits both physically and mentally.

"We’ve had some laughs along the way too. My riders have all heard the same jokes from me and my dad and laughed - although I think mostly out of politeness.

"My dad has been incredible support for me. He is being monitored for prostate cancer and my uncle has had his prostate removed. That means I have an increased risk of getting the disease myself. Given these odds I had to do something amazing to raise awareness and valuable funds for Prostate Cancer UK whilst also inspiring others to push themselves further than they thought possible."

More than 11,500 men die from prostate cancer in the UK each year - around one man every 45 minutes. Prostate Cancer UK invests in finding better treatments and tests that could save thousands of lives.

Nicola Tallett, Director of Fundraising & Supporter Engagement at Prostate Cancer UK said: "It’s fantastic to see Gareth safely cross the finish line of his epic ride, and we’re hugely grateful for all his efforts in fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK.

"The fight against prostate cancer, a disease that affects one in eight men, is a purpose worth uniting for. We want to see a world where men’s lives are not limited by prostate cancer, and we know men and their loved ones feel the same.

"Gareth’s wonderful support will help our ultimate quest; to fund more ground-breaking research and work towards a screening programme, to catch prostate cancer early and save lives. We thank Gareth and his team for their incredible support."

For more information on Gareth's ride and to support the cause, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ggtb2022.

For more information on Prostate Cancer UK and help on beating prostate cancer, visit: prostatecanceruk.org.