By Elizabeth Broughton

Last updated at 13:58, Thursday, 29 July 2010

A retired GP is celebrating after completing one of the country’s most gruelling cycle rides in just two and a half days.

Brian Scroggie

The first time Brian Scroggie attempted the Coast 2 Coast cycle ride – which takes riders from the Cumbrian coast across to the north east – it took him a total of five days to complete the arduous trek.

But this time he went one better, completing it in half the time and raising over £800 for the Association of Young People with ME (AYME).

Mr Scroggie, who lives in Upperby Road, Carlisle, completed the ride last weekend alongside 14 others and said: “We all found it quite a challenge but have managed to raise awareness and money for the charity.

“I, personally, have raised over £800 and still have some money to come in.”

Mr Scroggie set out to raise money for AYME because his daughter, Amy, has battled with the illness for the last 17 years.

The charity supported Amy when she was a youngster, and Mr Scroggie has retained his links with it.

“It’s important to me because it’s a national charity and there are kids all over the country getting help from it,” he said.

And despite the size of the challenge he and his companions faced, Mr Scroggie – who carried his mascot Aymish for luck – said there was never a time when he thought he wouldn’t be able to do his bit for the charity.

“There were not any points when I thought I would not make it,” he said. “We had an excellent guy supporting us. He had a camper van which would suddenly appear and he had the kettle on, the sausages cooking and an unlimited supply of bananas and cakes.”

The group are now considering taking on the Pennine cycle way next year to raise more money for the charity.

Mr Scroggie is still collecting sponsorship at www.justgiving.com/brian-scroggie

First published at 11:25, Thursday, 29 July 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk