A STROKE survivor from Wiltshire has cycled 500 miles in six days, to raise vital funds for the Stroke Association.

Father of two, Peter Willetts, 59, from Marlborough, had a stroke nearly three years ago, which affected his mobility and speech. Peter, a keen cyclist, decided to mark a milestone in his recovery with the sponsored ride.

Peter said: “My stroke came as a complete shock to me and my family. It completely knocked me, and the idea of getting back on my bike seemed a very distant dream.

“Thankfully, with the support from the stroke teams locally I was able to get back on my bike. I wanted to take on a challenge to celebrate my recovery. My friend, Steve Tippins helped me get back into cycling, and improved my fitness and morale. Steve joined me on my cycle challenge and together we mapped out the route and decided we wanted to raise money for charity."

He wants to raise awareness as well as money to help other stroke survivors.

“So far we’ve raised over £2,300 for the Stroke Association and also Action Through Enterprise,” he said. To sponsor Peter, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/peterwilletts1.