A 75-year-old endurance cyclist from Alton is preparing to take on one of the toughest challenges of his life in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Les Causton, who originally hails from the Alton area and now divides his time between the town and the Dordogne region of France, will set off on June 1 on a self-supported 2,050-mile cycling challenge called “Le FRO’GLE”.

The ambitious route begins in the Dordogne before heading to Alton for stage one. Mr Causton will then travel by train to northern Scotland to begin stage two, cycling from John O’Groats to Land’s End. After reaching Cornwall, he will continue to Plymouth before catching a ferry to Roscoff and beginning the final leg back through France to the Dordogne.

The fundraiser comes more than a decade after previous long-distance charity rides supported by the Herald, including the 2012 Dallaglio and Flintoff ride from Greece to London and a solo journey from Gibraltar to Norway’s North Cape in 2015.

Les Causton said the latest challenge was dedicated to raising funds for friends currently battling cancer, as well as those he has lost over the years.

He said: “I have several friends going through cancer-related treatments at the moment. This ride is dedicated to them — Clive, Lou, Toni, Gordon and all the other friends, present and past, that have fought this horrendous disease over the years.”

A seasoned endurance cyclist for the past 15 years, Mr Causton turned to long-distance cycling after suffering a heart attack in 2006. Two years later, he completed his first major ride from Alton to Malaga.

Training has not been without setbacks. Earlier this year, he broke his hip after falling from his bike while training in Portugal, but he remains determined to complete the challenge.

So far, more than £700 has been raised towards his £1,500 target.