AT 84 years of age Eric Alying has spent a week on a static bicycle raising cash for Help for Heroes.

“The joke is,” he said, “I can’t ride a normal as I never learnt as I was bought up in an orphanage and they didn’t have stuff like bikes. It’s five days, at six hours a day this week cycling for five hours a day at the Springfield Campus in Corsham. I’m getting company from members of the public who are riding the bikes next to me for 30 minutes at a time.”

He said he hoped it would inspire others of his own age to take up fitness training to stay healthy. People made donations to his efforts during last week.

Teenage girls, young mums, fitness fans and the staff of the Springfield Community Hub have all taken turns at pedalling next to the octogenarian.

“I’m feeling fine,” he said, “and the support I’ve had is great. The people have been really supportive.

“I feel very strongly that there isn’t enough done for people when they leave the services“This is my way of raising money for Help for Heroes. I started helping them four years and plan a 60 static cycle ride in November.”

Born in 1936 he left school in London and joined the RAF serving for 10 years in Cyprus and Germany while also representing the service as a boxer in the feather weight division.

On civvy street he had a career as a physical education teacher before moving to Corsham from Tidworth following the death of his wife Katherine died from cancer four years ago.

He said he hoped it would inspire others of his own age to take up fitness training to stay healthy.