A FORMER cancer sufferer from Ruishton cycled 750 miles in three weeks to raise money for organisations close to his heart.

Peter Sherry, 59, undertook the challenge from Handaye on the Spain-France border to northern French port Roscoff with his wife Susan and brother Ian, who travelled from Tanzania where he works to lend his support.

The trio is nearing its £3,000 fundraising target, which will be split equally between the Beacon Centre at Musgrove Park Hospital and Bristol-based charity Above and Beyond, which supports hospitals in the city.

He said: “I am very grateful to all the staff at Musgrove and the Bristol Royal Infirmary for their wonderful care and support over the last five years. The care that I have received has been second to none. I feel very fortunate to have been able to complete this journey - five years ago I was very ill.

“I wanted to raise some funds to put back into the system that has helped me so much so that others can receive the same kind of wonderful treatment. We, the Bristol Cream Crackers, would like to thank everyone who has sponsored us on our cycle ride.”

Peter appeared in the Mercury in 2007 when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer after hearing from more than 300 students and parents from Robert Blake Science College, where he taught at the time, to wish him well.

The group will complete the journey with a final leg from Bristol to Plymouth at the end of this week.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/thebristolcreamcrackers