A TRIAL-biking enthusiast is to compete in one of the toughest events in the biking calendar, despite suffering a serious knee injury earlier this year.

Jonathan Richardson, 20, has been riding trial bikes since he was young and won the infamous Scott Trial last year.

But after winning a place on a new biking team, he was involved in a crash, while training in Spain, that severely damaged ligaments in his knee.

Mr Richardson, from Skeeby, near Richmond, said he initially feared he would not be fit enough to take part in the Scott Trail, which starts in Marske, near Richmond, and runs for more than five hours.

“I have been training hard over the last couple of months, even though I had to take a lot of time off biking while I recovered and worked on the family farm,” he said.

“I won the World Championship and European Championship in 2009 and am sponsored by Mike Smith, of Mial Coachbuilders Limited, and Andrew Robinson, from Richmond Garage Services. Without them I would not have got this far.”

Mr Smith said: “I am sure he will do great in the Scott Trial this year. He has put 110 percent into his training.