GARETH Lancaster hopes to do something ‘even bigger next year’ after he and a group of friends recently cycled from Launceston to London to raise money for Sarcoma UK.

Gareth, who is currently suffering from Chondrosarcoma and is due for a second operation within the next few weeks, and 12 others — Jason Jeffery, Kelly Sargent, Matt Breed, Simon Owens, Rob Orchard, Ian Ellacott, Louise Wakeham, Adrian Harvey, Sandra Ansty, Sally Reed, Merwyn Quick and Graham Worth — left Launceston on Friday, May 25 and arrived at Admiralty Arch on Sunday, May 27 at lunchtime.

They have so far raised well over £16,000 with the final figure yet to be confirmed.

However before they set off, they were given a rousing send-off by mayoress Nicola Gilbert, who was deputising in the absence of the mayor, Margaret Young.

Gareth said: “Before everyone arrived it was quiet, but once people started turning up you felt like a celebrity with everyone wishing you luck and the send-off was just amazing.

“The mayoress made a touching speech and then the town crier Rob Tremain rung his bell and said some nice words.

“He then got a piper to strike up his bagpipes and led us down through the square and through the arch. People lined the streets and wished us luck. After that everybody was absolutely buzzing all the way to Sourton where we stopped first. It was absolutely euphoric!”

The group spent the first day cycling 100 miles to Dorchester. They went along the old A30 up to Sourton before going through Sticklepath and Whiddon Down and up to Exeter.

However, just as everything was going swimmingly, disaster struck.

Gareth said: “We’d just got into Exeter and to the Exe Bridges roundabouts when Kelly Sargent went to stop and fell off and broke her ankle, it was such bad luck!”

Once they’d had lunch in Clyst Honiton they made their to Dorchester, where they stayed in a Premier Inn.

Gareth admits that it was incredibly hard work.

He said: “I found it tough. By the end of each day I was in a fair bit of pain but it was totally worth it. The first day was probably the toughest as there’s lots of hills in Devon and Dorset. There was a massive hill coming into Dorchester which caused me the most problems.”

The second day, which started with an interview with BBC Radio London, saw them cycle 95 miles to Camberley in Surrey — a day Gareth found much easier.

He said: “The terrain to Camberley was quite up and down but there were no major hills that really tire you.

“To be honest that day was almost a bit dull as you’re alone a lot of the time as we had to cycle in a line so we were left to our own thoughts.”

However the day did get slightly more dramatic.

Gareth said: “Most people got lost and took the wrong turn so we were split into a couple of different groups. We knew as we approached Andover and Basingstoke it could be hard to navigate and when we got to Basingstoke we met up with Richard and Tracey Enriquez. They had a Plymouth Classic and led us out of there which was cool!

“After that we arrived in Hook and went to the pub where there was some Cornish support waiting for us and they waved us off. We eventually arrived in Camberley in Surrey and we all out went out for pizza as it was Adrian Harvey’s birthday.”

As had been the case throughout the three days, they were well on their way by 9am on Sunday to finish the last 35 miles into London, which they completed by lunchtime.

However, they had been given a special surprise.

Gareth added: “Jason Jeffery found a team of motorcycle support riders called Unity Support Riders. There were ten of them and they came to Camberley in the morning and gave us a briefing on how it’d work and they took us into London.

“Any junction we came to they’d make sure no traffic was coming out and it just gave you this sort of celebrity/VIP feeling.

“Because we had the outriders it was giving us so much attention. We had people clapping and videoing us all the way to Admiralty Arch.

“We went through the likes of Hammersmith and Chelsea and past the Royal Albert Hall before going through White Hall, Downing Street, Trafalgar Square and then onto Admiralty Arch.

“A few of the riders got emotional, particularly the ones you wouldn’t expect, but it was an emotional day.

“But once you’ve finished it it’s a bit empty. Nearly straight away people were talking about doing something next year but we’ve got to make it even bigger as we’ve managed to raise a lot more than we thought we would.

“Our original target was £4,000 but to get over £16,000 is just amazing. But once everything is totalled up and the Gift Aid it should be close to £20,000!”

Once they’d reached the end, many of the riders had some prosecco and pasties which were supplied for free by the West Cornwall Pasty Company.

Although a few stayed in London for the night, most packed all their gear up and got into the minibus for the journey home.

Gareth was quick to thank everyone who got involved.

He said: “I’d personally like to thank the whole riding team, the support vehicle drivers Llewellyn Lancaster and Ross Pidgeon, AAA Vehicle Rentals and An Daras Multi Academy Trust for the use of the vehicles, Nick Harrison at Hawkins Motors for fuel and to all the other businesses who donated parts, food, drink and nutrition.

“Finally I’d like to say a huge thank you my partner Hayley, children Grace, Harry and Willow and to each and every person that has shared, cheered, donated. It’s just been phenomenal raising so much money!”

While cycling from Cornwall to the nation’s capital is a serious accomplishment, Gareth is about to face another big battle.

He said: “I’ve got to go for scans this week in Birmingham to see whether anything has changed with the cancer since the last scans in April. If nothing has I’m hopeful they should be able to operate on me by the end of June and get this second lot of cancer out.”