By Jonny Irving

Last updated at 08:17, Tuesday, 26 February 2013

A firefighter is set to take part in a marathon 800 mile cycle from London to Monte Carlo.

Andrew Ord

Andrew Ord, 47, is now looking for people to sponsor him for the epic bike ride which takes place in June.

Andrew, who works at Carlisle West fire station in Brookside, Raffles, but has a wife and stepchildren living in Liglet, a small village in the Vienne in central France, is joining 40 other cyclists from around the country to take part in the Wooden Spoon event.

The charity cycle is expected to take eight and a half days to complete and includes a gruelling 30,000ft of climbing through 30 miles of the Alps.

The Wooden Spoon charity is run on behalf of British and Irish rugby organisations and raises money for all types of disadvantaged children.

They have previously donated £40,000 to the Eden Valley Hospice in Durdar Road, Carlisle, for a sensory room, and also run a canoe, cycle and run triathlon in the Lakes.

Andrew needs to raise £3,000 in order to take part in the challenge and is welcoming all donations and sponsorship.

As part of this he is also doing a sponsored indoor cycle of 100 miles in the Asda and Sainsbury stores in Carlisle in May.

Andrew said: “It’s a really good cause and the event seemed like a good challenge.

“Having cycled previously, including a Land’s End to John o’Groats trip back in 2000, I saw this challenge and decided, after quite a bit of thought, to sign up and attempt to rediscover some fitness.”

Anyone wanting to sponsor Andrew can visit his fundraising webpage at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndrewOrd or contact him on 0780 5056627.

First published at 08:14, Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk