David Anderson from Westbury hopes to pedal 346 miles across four countries in four days to raise £2,000 for the Hearts & Minds foundation.

With his 54-year-old dad Steven and a number of other riders, Mr Anderson is taking part in the Race to the Sun from May 21-26, making his way through Switzerland, France, Italy and Monaco.

The 30-year-old of Brabant Way has already raised almost £1,000 for the charity, which helps children with autism – an issue close to Mr Anderson’s heart as his seven-year-old son Ashton has the condition.

Mr Anderson, who is married to Amy and has another son, five-year-old Lucas, said: “I just thought I’ve never done anything like this before and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I didn’t have my own bike until I started training for this though and the last time I rode a bike was probably when I was a kid. The training has been extremely hard... when it’s chucking down with rain I think, ‘What have I done?’, and when I get home I literally just collapse on the sofa.”

The storeman at Westbury Park Engineering will not only have to cycle between 80 and 90 miles a day, but also do it on some of the hardest cycling routes in the world – including those featured in the Tour de France, the most notable of which is the L’Alpe d’Huez featuring 21 hairpin turns and an average gradient of 8.1 per cent for 13.8km.

Proceeds from the event will go towards building a £1m training centre for autistic children in Manchester.

Mr Anderson is now planning to use a turbo trainer in supermarket entrances to reach his £2,000 target.

He added: “We are due to arrive in Monaco the day after the Formula One race so hopefully we can get a chance to ride round a lap of the track. Although by that stage I might just be grateful to get off the bike.”

To make a donation, visit https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/davidanderson2