TWO young cyclists from Atworth have smashed through their target to raise £500 for Wiltshire Mind from a 1,000-mile bike ride along the French coast of the Bay of Biscay.

Josh Brain and Harry Davies-Ball are taking on the cycle ride of their life during their university summer break.

The pair set off on Tuesday, July 2 by crossing the English Channel on the Brittany Ferries Plymouth-Roscoff service. They are cycling along the French coastline to San Sebastián in Spain before flying home from Biarritz to Luton Airport on July 24.

So far they have raised £576 for self-funding local charity, Wiltshire Mind based in Melksham.

Mr Brain, 20, is being accompanied by his friend, Harry Davies-Ball, 20, after another friend, Ash Beale, 20, was forced to drop out of the trip through illness.

Mr Brain said: “We saw this as a brilliant opportunity to do some good, as well as completing a long-term ambition of ours." I have done a couple of things like this with my family.

“We think’s good to raise awareness and funds for a mental health charity. Our generation suffers a lot of pressures and we just wanted to do something to help people and have a little bit of fun at the same time.”

Wiltshire Mind supports anyone in the community with mental health issues through their services. The charity runs six peer support groups, two of those for people with mental health issues.

It also runs an evening support group, one to one counselling for adults and young people, Polish counselling, a charity shop in Melksham High Street, and it also provides training to businesses.

Carolyn Beale, the Wiltshire Mind chief executive, said: “This is a wonderful example of how important young people feel it is to raise the profile of mental health, they are very much aware of the effects on friends and just want to help.

“I would urge people to support Josh and Harry’s efforts and donate via Just Giving https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/josh-and-ash-cycle-tour, we are a self-funding charity so every penny counts.”

For more information on the work of Wiltshire Mind go to www.wiltshiremind.co.uk to gain help and support call 01225 706532.