Fundraiser swapped driver's seat for saddle to raise thousands of pounds in charity ride

Car dealership boss Andrew Hockedy swapped the driver’s seat for saddle as he completed the 969-mile cycle ride.

But it proved a tough challenge as he took part despite having three operations - two knee replacements and a double hip replacement - in the last 18 months.

Mr Hockedy, who is the managing director of the Wolverhampton and Stourbridge Volkswagen dealerships, was raising cash for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

And the 55-year-old finished the nine-day ride helping to raise £5,200 in the process.

It was the second time the father-of-two had done the challenge with his latest ride including a 126-mile stretch in one day as his group closed in on the finish in Scotland.

Mr Hockedy said: “I did the ride for the first time when I was 50 and I’ve had a number of operations since then but it hasn’t put me off getting out on the bike and going for a cycle.

“When you’re on the bike your mind is completely focused and you go into cruise control.

"We were averaging 6,500 feet of climbing each day so it’s certainly no easy feat but it was all for a great cause and giving up wasn’t an option.

“People won’t believe me but the toughest part was having to rough it in a tent.”

Mr Hockedy said there are no plans to hang up the bike helmet yet and already has his eyes set on the next challenge.

He said: “I’d like to do Land’s End to John O’Groats again when I’m 60 so that’s something I’ll be definitely considering.

“But before that I’d like to try the Paris-Brest-Paris bike race, it’s a 1,200km ride and thought to be one of the oldest in the world and happens every four years, so that’s something I’m aiming to do when it runs again in 2019.

“One thing for sure is I’m not planning on giving up my bike.”