CYCLING enthusiasts will cross the country on a series of epic charity bike rides.

Rolland Law, who works at Dentons Cycles, High Street, Witney, has roped in friends and workmates to complete the endurance tests. Mr Law, 26, hopes to get more of Oxfordshire’s residents to saddle up and embark on their own charity rides.

He hopes to travel 280 miles between Weston-Super-Mare and Great Yarnmoth this month, followed later in the year by a 900-mile ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The first ride will raise cash for the British Red Cross, for the charity’s work in tsunami-hit parts of Japan. He said: “This year we want to do three big events and as many little ones as we can.”

Mr Law added: “A lot of cycling technology comes from Japan.

“I want to help them out to get back up to where they should be.

“We want people to come to the shop and sign up to do the weekend events, which could be 60 or 100 miles — whatever people want to do.”

He said events could take place at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, or between Witney and Oxford.