A WELDER who got on his bike to help his family cope with a devastating and incurable bone cancer has raised over £2,000.

Darren Kirkbride, from Bedale, North Yorkshire, pedalled 500 kilometres from London to Paris with a group of other dedicated fund raisers who together have raised over £306,000 for research for Myeloma UK.

His father in law Geoff Hare, from Snape has been receiving treatment for the disease for the past five years.

His wife and other family members have also been raising money for the charity and the keen cyclist decided to take on his own challenge.

Mr Kirkbride said: “We did the ride in four days and it was hard going but I’m so pleased I did it. It was difficult because I didn’t know anyone, there were 125 of us in total, but we got on so well. The cycling was probably the easiest part, it was so well organised and ending up on the Champs Elysees in Paris was a real bonus.

“It’s such a worthwhile charity I’m pleased I did it and now we’re even talking about doing it again next year, so I’ll have to keep fit.”

Around 4,800 people a year are diagnosed with myeloma, a form of bone cancer which relapses and remits affecting around 13 people a day. It is known as a hard cancer to diagnose, with one in five patients dying within 60 days of diagnosis, symptoms and complications include bone pain, fractures and kidney damage.