TROWBRIDGE Town Council clerk Lance Allan set off on his epic 800-mile from Somerset to Northumberland on Saturday (June 20) to mark the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta.

Mr Allan is travelling the distance over eight days as part of the council’s celebrations, while raising money along the way for Dorothy House Hospice Care and Re-cycle (Bicycle Aid for Africa).

He will stop off at each of the 25 Magna Carta towns along the way during the trip, which will see him ride from Somerset through to Wiltshire, Buckinghamshire, London, Hertfordshire, Essex and Suffolk over the first three days.

From Suffolk, Mr Allan then travels through towns in Leicestershire, Yorkshire, Lancashire over the next four days, before finishing off his epic challenge in Northumberland on Sunday (June 28).

Mr Allan said: “The support I have received has been fantastic and I’ve had sponsorship from The Landscape Group, WPS Insurance Brokers and Newland Homes. Originally I aimed to raise £800 for each charity and I have achieved that already.”

The Mayor of Trowbridge Roger Andrews, Leader of Trowbridge Town Council Bob Brice and Trowbridge Town Team chair David Baker were in Trowbridge Town Park to welcome Mr Allan at his stop in Trowbridge on Saturday.

This week has also seen youngsters with special educational needs from The Grove Primary School and Larkrise work with creative arts company La Folia to prepare for a Magna Carta performance.

Pupils from the two Trowbridge schools had workshops on Tuesday (June 23) to get ready for the Magna Carta Songs performance at Salisbury Cathedral on July 14 at 10.30am.

La Folia’s Artistic director Howard Moody said: “We’re often met with disbelief when we tell people that the students have created the words and music themselves.

“But the score has indeed come from their own musical imaginations. Each word or musical phrase has been generated from their responses to the stories.

“We wanted to use the inspiration of the Magna Carta to give a voice to young people who, because of their particular circumstances, find it difficult to be heard.”