BILL Tyler is sure his wife would have thought him quite mad - but also would have been very proud.But the deputy head at Litcham High School, near Dereham, would not have undertaken a 1,000-mile bike ride had it not been for his wife Gill.

BILL Tyler is sure his wife would have thought him quite mad - but also would have been very proud.

But the deputy head at Litcham High School, near Dereham, would not have undertaken a 1,000-mile bike ride had it not been for his wife Gill.

She died of cancer in May last year at the age of 48 and less than four months after they were married, and it is in her memory and to raise money for Cancer Research that Mr Tyler is cycling

from Land's End to John O'Groats.

He plans to complete the trip in just under two weeks, averaging 80 to 100 miles a day, and hopes to raise at least £2,000 in sponsorship.

Gill Tyler was also a

popular teacher at Litcham High. She was diagnosed

with a malignant melanoma in December 2006 and died just five months later.

A Race For Life at the

school last month raised money for the charity, along with a concert, and the total fund could top £5,000

by the time Mr Tyler

returns.

He said he had been training hard for the trip which starts on Saturday.

“I have booked my train home on August 1 so I

really need to keep to the schedule.

“I have got a few places to stay already organised but should have all my overnights sorted by the time I leave. One night I will be staying with Gill's sister in Chester.

“I just have to hope the bike does not break and the weather is not too bad.”

Mr Tyler has set up a website for donations and said he was touched by some of the messages already left from past students.

Gill's 23-year-old daughter Sarah Horner is also spreading the word through her Facebook page.

“It is to raise money, particularly for melanoma research, but it is also an adventure,” said Mr Tyler.

To support Bill Tyler, visit his website at www.justgiving

.com/billtyler1.