A CYCLIST who spent 18 hours on his saddle as his children cheered him on has raised almost £2,500 for charities close to his heart.

Father-of-two Brett Farmery rode 190 miles from Plymouth to Oxford in a day, earning donations for the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

The North Abingdon resident was devastated at 18 when his dad lost his battle with heart disease – a tragedy followed by his mother-in-law's diagnosis of breast cancer, which she has thankfully overcome.

His uncle has since been struck by cancer and is still fighting the disease.

Mr Farmery, 41, said: "Cancer seems to affect everybody. These are charities directly linked to issues I have experienced.

"The ride went really well. I left at 4am and got into Oxford at 10pm. I was blessed with good weather throughout the day – it’s usually raining, about to rain, foggy, or blowing a gale."

He said the highlight of the route, which took him from his mum's house in Plymouth, across the Somerset Levels, through Wiltshire and into Swindon before arriving at Oxford Railway Station, was "idyllic" Dartmoor.

Mental lulls on his journey on May 29 were perked up by friends including Jon Beck (pictured) and Hayley Reynolds, who joined him for stints on the way.

His family – wife Sue and their nine-year-old son Hallam and 12-year-old daughter Carina – drove alongside him and re-energised him during pit-stops with cheering and refreshments.

Carina doodled a sign to stick on her dad's back explaining his plight to passers-by, prompting a stranger to pull over and donate £10.

Mr Farmery, who is managing director of Swindon-based engineering consultants Cole Easdon that sponsored his ride, added: "It was an achievement that took a lot of training and time to make sure I could do it. It was a massive relief to cross the finish line. I didn't have any punctures on the way, it all went to plan.

"Cycling as a means of sustainable transport is something I feel very strongly about. There's no doubt 200 miles in one day is a tall order, but most people could manage a local cycle commute."

He was met at the finish line with a hand-painted banner held by Hallam and Ms Reynolds' daughter Jasmine, which read "well done finish".

It was not the first time Mr Farmery had completed a mammoth biking mission, having raised £1,100 for British Heart Foundation five years ago with a 90-mile cycle from Oxford to Cambridge.

This time his fundraising page on uk.virginmoneygiving.com has secured £2,335 from friends, family, colleagues and clients, which will be split between the charities.

Anyone who wants to donate can search the site for 'Plymouth to Oxford challenge'.