AN epic fundraising challenge saw Trowbridge cycling fanatic Justin Gage cycle the cumulative ascent of Everest up and down Winsley Hill on Sunday in aid of DEC’s Nepal Earthquake fund.

Mr Gage, who lives in Islington, had been considering doing the Everest challenge for several months, but only decided to give it a go after seeing the devastation in Nepal.

The keen cyclist, who is part of the Velo Club Walcot cycling club in Bath, was tasked with repeatedly riding up and down the same hill until his cumulative ascent matched the height of Everest (8,848m).

Mr Gage started off the challenge in the early hours of Sunday morning and completed it just after 10pm, riding up and down the hill 91 times in total.

The 41-year-old said: “It took slightly longer than I predicted, but I had so much support throughout the day. It took 20 hours in the end, compared to the 17-18 hours I thought it would be.

“The main thing was to complete it and I hadn’t set myself a time to finish it in. It was great to have so much support and there were lots of cyclists from my club cheering me on, along with friends and family.

“It was something I had thought about doing for a while, but it seemed only right to do it in aid of DEC’s Nepal Earthquake fund given the scale of the disaster and the relationship to my challenge.

“The key was to take it steady and I actually ended up doing the equivalent of Everest and Ben Nevis as I wanted to make sure I had done enough.”

Mr Gage has so far raised over £2,500 for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Nepal Earthquake appeal, which was launched after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal at the end of April.

People Against Poverty, which is based in Hilperton, has also launched an urgent appeal following the disaster, as the charity works in two areas located either side of the epicentre of the earthquake.

Charity manager Jenny James said: “Both of the areas that we work in lie either side of the epicentre of the earthquake, Kathmandu and Pokhara, so there is no doubt that there will devastation on a massive scale and we will need emergency funds to support our families and maybe others within the community.”

To find out more about People Against Poverty or to donate, visit www.peopleagainstpoverty.com. T donate towards Mr Gage’s fundraising, visit www.justgiving.com/Justin-Gage2