A fundraiser is vowing to cycle from London to Paris next year - despite suffering from coronavirus earlier this year.

What's more, in a gesture of solidarity, a colleague has offered to share the 237 mile ride on a tandem cycle.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT) charity community fundraiser Lynne Lees had planned to chaperone cycle some 40 fundraisers from London to Paris next September.

However, as Lynne said: "Life had other plans and Covid struck me horribly in April. Whilst I'm rehabilitating well now, I'm not convinced that I'd be able to lone cycle 237 miles in three days."

Senior project manager Chris Harvey was already signed up for the cycle as part of a team raising funds for the RCHT paediatric wards, CITS Cycle for Children.

In an example of kindness, generosity of spirit and some bravery, Chris has now agreed to tandem Lynne from London to Paris.

Lynne said: "He is enabling me to take part in this long planned challenge, to join all of our incredible fundraisers, and my gratitude really cannot be expressed."

In response, Chris joked: "I must be mad."

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RCHT and Sustrans are old friends and when Lynne approached Nick Ratcliffe for advice on sourcing a tandem their support for the community was immediate and generous.

Sustrans is currently building Chris and Lynne a bespoke tandem to borrow to train and ride to Paris on.

Lynne said: "We're overwhelmed by this amazing gesture and cannot thank them enough.

"Sustrans, who have a long standing relationship with RCHT, are making our ride possible, assisting my post-Covid rehab and helping CITS cycle for Children to fundraise even further for our paediatric wards."

The London to Paris cycle is open to everyone, for all levels of cyclist and fitness, and many people have already signed up. Anyone wishing to join in is asked to email rcht.charity@nhs.net.