A RESILIENT cyclist from Reading joined doctors and patients in an epic cycle challenge from London to Paris.

Ten cyclists took on the 300 mile challenge in four days to raise more than £20,000 for Royal Papworth Charity.

A clinical team from Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, along with patients and supporters, took on the challenge to raise vital funds for the hospital.

Dan Peel from Reading, was a patient at Royal Papworth who received a lung transplant in 2018.

He said: "This is life after transplant.

"Pain is temporary - sheer determination and an incredible support team on and off the bike got me through this.

"Thank you to the whole Papworth team and thank you to my donor."

The unique bond between the patients and the clinical team powered them through rural French countryside and up through the streets of Paris to cross the finish line at the Eiffel Tower.

They were greeted by their friends, family and loved ones.

The impressive £20,000 raised by the team will support the hospital's £2.6 million build of the Heart and Lung Research Institute (HLRI).

Heart and lung diseases are the leading causes of premature death worldwide, killing 26 million people a year.

The University of Cambridge and Royal Papworth Hospital plan to tackle this global challenge head-on through the creation of a multidisciplinary research centre.