An 84-year-old vintage bike enthusiast says he’s ‘over the moon’ after raising around £2,500 from his charity cycling event.

Colin Bedford cycled the distance between March and Hinchingbrooke Hospital over five days on a different historic bike.

Each day, he even wore a costume from the bike’s era.

On the final day, he crossed the finish line on a challenging wooden Victorian ‘boneshaker’ bike with 18 other cyclists who joined him for the last ride.

Mr Bedford, from March, said: “The weather was great and only windy on the last day. It was so windy I almost lost my top hat across a field.”

He added: “I can’t believe I’ve managed to raise £2,500 so far. It’s so amazing because I thought I’d be doing well if I managed to get between £500 and £1,000.

“I must thank everybody who donated - I’m over the moon.”

The total will be split between the charity Diabetes UK and the eye clinic at the Huntingdon hospital.

Mr Bedford chose the two causes because he has been Type 1 diabetic for 30 years. For the last 10 of those years he has also needed monthly injections in his eye at the hospital.

He cycled five miles every day between September 21 and 25 on bikes ranging from 1865 ‘boneshaker’ to a 1943 Second World War parachutists’ bicycle which folds up and would’ve been strapped to a Royal Marine.

Brian Cundy, was among those who cycled alongside Mr Bedford every day. He cycled from Wisbech to March on a bicycle from the 1940s, completed the route with Mr Bedford and then cycled back home to Wisbech again.

Fellow vintage bike enthusiast Bernard Keene also cycled with the group every day. Some days he rode a 1940s James tricycle, on others his wife Sylvia joined him on their 1940s James tandem.

They also stopped at All Saints Inter-church Academy in County Road to talk to the schoolchildren about the era they were dressed it.

Mr Bedford said: “Captain Tom Moore inspired my own fundraising event, and I’m already thinking about my next.

“As I’m a keen badminton player, I think it will have to be badminton related...”

There’s still time to sponsor Mr Bedford at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/vintage-cycling or email vintage.cycle.ride2020@gmail.com