Rod's mountain bike challenge

Cyclist Rod Evans has spent his week getting covered in mud, soaked with rain and hardly seeing a soul from dawn to dusk - all to raise money for the air ambulance.

He has taken on a 300 mile mountain bike challenge, with his route almost all off route.

The owner of Mere Cycles Hire and Sale in Ellesmere has been fund raising for the Midlands and Wales Air Ambulance for the past four years and has cycled just over 800 miles travelling around the roads of Wales on previous challenges.

He has swopped his road bike for a mountain bike and is taking the Welsh hills from a different angle raising funds for the two air ambulances.

Midway through the week he said: "This is a tough one, take it from me. I would rather cycle 800miles on a road bike. I was drenched on Wednesday when I took in the Coed y Brenin mountain bike centre."

Thursday saw Rod reach Builth Wells.

"I am doing an international, mountain bike course and it is mega," he said.

The challenge will finish in South Wales.

During his week Rod has visited the Welsh Air Ambulance station in Caernarfon and has been given free bed and breakfast accommodation by businesses through Wales.

Recently he also took part in a sponsored zip wire challenge on the longest zip wire in Europe in Snowdonia also for the air ambulances.

"So many people would not be here today if not for the air ambulances. Both Wales and the Midlands Air Ambulances support Shropshire and surrounding counties."

Anyone wanted to sponsor Rod can do so via his facebook page or www.amerecycle.co.uk.