A DAREDEVIL cyclist did not let freezing conditions and a few mishaps get in the way of a 6,000-mile charity ride to the Arctic Circle and back.

Andy Tallis (19), of Castle Keep, Stratford-sub-castle, set off in April this year and took about 85 days to complete the mammoth journey - travelling through countries including Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Turkey and Finland, before reaching his destination at North Cape.

Cycling by himself, Andy pedalled between 75 and 110 miles a day, bedding down each night at youth hostels or pitching his tent at campsites.

The keen cyclist, who is on a gap year before going to Bangor University to study biology, said: "It was a very intimidating experience, especially when I was out in the mountains, and I kept thinking that if something went wrong there would be no one to help.

"It did get lonely at times and there were some nasty experiences - one where a tractor on a mountain road in Norway nearly went into the back of me."

"It was insanely hard but very worthwhile."

Andy, who describes himself as "a bit of an adventurer", has managed to raise about £1,000 for the international development charity ITDG - an organisation that operates in poor countries to help communities work their way out of poverty.

The teenager rode from Land's End to John O'Groats last year and got bitten by the bug of long-distance cycling, keeping up a gruelling training regime to prepare for his ride to the Arctic by cycling 200 miles a week.