AN OVERTON man was reunited with 12 of his friends to take part in a memorial charity bike ride.

Harry Cullis was asked to ride in Bike for Mike in memory of Mike Telford, who died from skin cancer.

Mike’s daughter Gayle Telford reunited 12 of her father’s friends for the London to Paris cycle on September 4, which raised an incredible £17,365 for skin cancer research.

Harry, 25, helped raise the money with his team of friends with a series of events including a sports day, pub quiz, cricket match and concert, with the fundraising efforts culminating in the cycle challenge which coincided with Mike’s birthday.

Training was hard-going with gruelling 35 mile sessions twice a week in preparation for the 200 mile challenge, alongside longer cycles from London to Brighton and Newhaven.

Harry said: “The whole thing still feels very surreal but when we saw the Eiffel Tower and our friends and family there cheering us in, it was the most incredible feeling.

“We all trained so hard and it is nice that it paid off and we have raised a great amount of money for the British Skin Foundation.”