Like most of us, I have lost close friends and relatives to cancer over recent years and I've also seen the great support given to people suffering and to others who have had successful treatment.

So I have joined The Longest Day Up 2019 motorcycle challenge to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

We will leave Lands End at sunrise (3.30am) on the longest day of the year, 21 June, and aim to reach John O'Groats (in theory) by sunset. That's a long way in a day but there are two further conditions:

First, the designated route avoids all motorways and covers a total distance of 1,021 miles. That's 29 hours on google maps. And there's a ferry crossing to catch in North Scotland which shuts at 1am on June 22;

And second, motorcycles must cost no more than £300 (excluding the cost of insurance, MOT, tyres or brakes). That's not much for a bike so I have invested in a 1998 Yamaha Diversion which was being sold for parts...

Any support would be very much appreciated