Calne soldier Kenny Molyneux will begin a challenge to cycle 70 miles across the Western Front in five days on the anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.

Staff Sgt Molyneux, of Quemerford, is an ammunition technician for the Royal Logistics Corps and is fundraising for the Army Benevolent Fund with four colleagues.

He is looking forward to the challenge, organised by French cycling tour company Green Jersey, despite damaging his face during a cycle ride on June 1.

The 45-year-old, who works in Stratford, was cycling back from work at 7pm when he hit a branch and crashed. He was taken to hospital in Coventry to have 28 stitches.

Before this he was cycling for five days at a time with two days of rest time. But the crash hasn’t put him off and he is looking forward to the challenge on August 4.

Sgt Molyneux said: “I took a right corner too fast and touched a tree branch, and the branch went through my bottom lip.

“I have a history of doing extreme things over long distance. I’ve done quite a lot of fundraising before, but nothing this extreme.

The route runs from London to Dover and then along the French coast from Calais to Nieuwpoort in Belgium, where the trenches meet the sea.

It then turns inland to Ypres, home to the Menin Gate, where a wreath will be laid at the last post ceremony, a ceremony which takes place at 8pm every evening.

Cyclists will pedal through former battlefields, including Passchendaele and the Somme, before finishing on the edge of Compiegne where fighting ceased.

And the Calne man added: “I was in the infantry first of all, and then I transferred. I’ve done all the conflicts, Northern Ireland, both the Balkans, I’ve been in Iraq and Afghanistan twice.

“I’m delighted to support the Army Benevolent Fund because the charity helps serving and non-serving personnel in Wiltshire.”

To sponsor him visit www.justgiving.com/kenneth-molyneux