Cycling challenge

A cycling enthusiast is gearing up for the challenge of a lifetime to raise money for a good cause.Steve Vyse, who lives in Dereham, is a 39-year-old security guard at Norwich Crown Court, and will be cycling across 16 mountains in the Alps in August.

A cycling enthusiast is gearing up for the challenge of a lifetime to raise money for a good cause.

Steve Vyse, who lives in Dereham, is a 39-year-old security guard at Norwich Crown Court, and will be cycling across 16 mountains in the Alps in August.

He is looking for sponsorship to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

He will be taking part in the bike ride with about 40 other cyclists, professional and amateur, and will be following the routes of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia.

Although Mr Vyse commutes 40 miles to and from work every day, which takes him just over an hour each way, he is doing more training for the trip, where he will have to cycle nearly double that amount.

He said: “I will be experiencing six magical days of pure cycling joy and extreme pain.

“I have been travelling to places where there are mountains, like Wales, to practice cycling, because it's quite hard to find any big hills around here, and I do around 80 or 90 miles each weekend.

“I saw it advertised and decided to do it as it looked very challenging and it is for a good cause.”

Mr Vyse is hoping to raise £1,500, and has so far notched up £1,200 in sponsorship for the ride, which will begin on August 23.

And to help with raising money they have organised a jumble sale for this Saturday at Swanton Morley Village Hall, starting at 2pm.

Anyone who would like to sponsor him can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/stevevyse.