A FENLAND village footballer has raised hundreds of pounds for charity after completing almost 140 miles on an exercise bike - the equivalent of cycling to France.

David Blackmore, who plays for Kershaw Senior B side Outwell Swifts, cycled the 139 miles – as the crow flies – that separates King’s Lynn and Calais on Thursday in the Vancouver Quarter on an exercise bike.

There was also another exercise bike next to the Upwell resident which allowed members of the public to help reduce the amount of miles he needs to cover by 20pc (28 miles).

The 24-year-old attempted the cycle so that he can take part in his second charity challenge revamping a school while also raising money for bowel cancer research.

The challenge will see him join a group of volunteers to fly out to give a much-needed facelift to Tubusis Primary School in the Damaraland region of Namibia in an international project run by the Bobby Moore Fund.

It comes after he helped revamp a school in South Africa last year as part of a similar project for the charity.

To take part, he needs to raise at least �4,000, half of which will go towards bowel cancer research and the rest going to the project costs, and Thursday’s “big bike ride” raised �260 and helped take David’s fundraising total to �3,710.

David said: “It was a fantastic day from start to finish. I really was amazed at the generosity of the people who came past and the interest shown in what I was doing and why I was doing it.

“I have always heard about “hitting the wall” from marathon runners and I realised exactly what they felt like with about 20km left.

“Thankfully, a small crowd had gathered to cheer me on for the final push and I really needed their support as I entered the last 5km. It was a great moment when I finished and threw my hands up in the air to light applause from the crowd.

“I started out the day not knowing how I would manage to cycle 50km let alone cover 223km so I was delighted to cross that finish line and “reach” Calais.

“I was amazed at the response of the public who cheered me on, donated money and showed such an interest in the Bobby Moore Fund.”

To help David reach his fundraising target, visit www.justgiving.com/davidblackmore4