A 12-year-old boy from Seend has cycled 260 miles in eight days raising £10,000 in memory of his father who died of spinal cancer.

While most pupils enjoyed the sunshine with friends over the May half term plucky youngster James Plunkett, who lost his father, Tim Plunkett, when he was just one, decided to raise money cycling hundreds of miles in his memory.

Setting out from his home in Spout Lane, on route to Whitstable in Kent, with his family behind him, James reached his goal eight days later having raised £9,700 for the National Brain Appeal charity and the Tim Plunkett Memorial Prize.

James, in Year 7 at Prior Park College, Bath, said: “It was difficult and challenging physically and we travelled through like seven counties. The best thing about it was definitely the down hills but it was a great trip. Fun.

“I have liked cycling sort of but I was never that committed. It was rewarding. There was one sad moment on the last day near the finish when I just cried.

“I remember bits from my dad but it was quite a big surprise as I did not think that we were going to raise that much money.

“When I knew my dad he was paralysed and I remember pressing the buttons on his bed to help him.

"I love you very much mum and it was really nice to do this with you.”

The Tim Plunkett Memorial Prize was set up to award £5,000 to a doctor who has done significant work in clinical research.

The National Brain Appeal raises funds for The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery - one of the world’s leading centres for the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with neurological and neuromuscular conditions.

Three years after the death of his father, James's mother Caron Sandhu met doctor Matthew Wordsworth and are now engaged to be married.

“I like maths, English and sport, with my favourite being tennis and I have a solid backhand. I am just a tiny bit better than Federer,” added James.

“I went with the whole family pretty much and they were all really supportive and I went with my grandad, who is 80 in the support crew.

“My cousin, a friend, aunties and dad cycled with me and my friend, Sammy Mitchell was the most tired at the end. He looked pretty puffed.”

His mum Ms Sandhu, 48, said: “By the end it had become very emotional. We had a few tears by the Friday, James was crying and that is enough for me.

“When someone dies you live in their shadows just a touch and people do forget that you move on and it was James’s idea to go ahead with it.

“We could say goodbye in the way that we wanted to and feel free."