Hundreds of cyclists were waved off from the Historic Dockyard last night on the gruelling 320-mile Halfords Help For Heroes Bike Ride, part of the Help for Heroes campaign.

The campaign was set up to offer care and support to those men and women injured while on active service.

And many of the riders leading from the front were amputees with prosthetic limbs trying to raise as much money as possible.

In total the charity hopes to raise £6m from its fund-raising projects for a new specialist swimming pool and gym at the Headley Court armed forces rehabilitation centre in Surrey.

Craig Dryden, from HMS Collingwood, in Fareham, was one of the young men at the front who was waved off by naval base Commander David Steel.

The 23-year-old able seaman lost his left leg two years ago when he was bitten by a spider in Gibraltar. He spent a year recovering at the rehabilitation centre.

He said: 'When I saw the Red Arrows fly past the hairs on the back of my neck stood up – it was amazing.

'I'm so glad to be here today to give something back to Headley Court.

'The staff there are outrageously good at their jobs. It is a totally inspiring place and everyone is at different stages so it gives you hope with your recovery.

'I know it's going to be hard work but I'm a strong-willed person and I've been training hard, so I'm sure I'll be fine.'

The cyclists took a ferry to Caen and will go on to visit several of France's most important First World War and Second World War battle sites.

They are due back in London on Sunday after returning by ferry to Dover.