TWO PEDALLING pensioners have covered 300 miles in nine days as part of their two-wheeled challenge for charity.Percy King, 69, and Ralph Mowles, 71, set off on Sunday July 21 to cycle 1020 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats.

TWO PEDALLING pensioners have covered 300 miles in nine days as part of their two-wheeled challenge for charity.

Percy King, 69, and Ralph Mowles, 71, set off on Sunday July 21 to cycle 1020 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats.

Ralph telephoned to tell the Evening Star of their progress and that they had reached Ross on Wye in Herefordshire on Tuesday July 30.

They hoped to complete their country-long adventure in 21 days in aid of a Kirton chapel and the Macmillan nurses.

The two men have covered an average of 50 miles a day through Cornwall and Devon.

They stopped off to see the Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan, which delayed their trip by three days.

Ralph, of Kirton Road, Trimley St Mary, and Percy, of High Road, Falkenham, first completed the feat for charity two years ago and were going to take up the challenge again last year but postponed the trip because of foot and mouth restrictions.

Ralph, who is a retired milkman, contacted Ipswich-based Ryan Insurance, who are sponsoring them, to tell the Star that they were heading on to Ludlow in Shropshire.

He said the first part of the journey across Cornwall and Devon had been hard work, as they had expected, because of the steep hills they had to climb.

However the weather had been fine and the temperature hot but they said they were expecting thunder storms.

Vivienne Maunder, from Ryan Insurance, said: "They say much of it seems to have been uphill, with surprisingly little downhill to compensate. Accommodation has been good, but rather more difficult to find than they had anticipated."

The two men hoped to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation for their overnight rests.

Percy and Ralph said they would wake at 8.00 each morning in time for breakfast so that they could begin their day of cycling at 9.00am through to 5.00pm with a few stops in between for rest and time to look around the picturesque towns they will pass through.

They will now head towards Cheshire, climb the Pennines and carry on through Scotland until their arrive at John O'Groats.