He's off again! Pete to cycle from Land's End to John 0'Groats

But far from resting on his laurels, brain haemorrhage survivor Pete Plowman is planning to do it all again.

The 49-year-old from Stamshaw is in training for another 900-mile bike ride, but this time he wants to start off in Cornwall and aim for Scotland’s northern tip.

Pete, who hopes his efforts will raise more than £1,000 for the Purbrook-based Rowans Hospice, said: ‘It’s going to be great to go the other way – like completing a round trip.

‘Last time I did it in a group and I didn’t know what I was letting myself in for. It took us over two weeks, but this time I plan to do it in 11 days’ riding, with a few days off in between.

‘This time I’m doing it on my own, with a support vehicle following.’

Pete started his charity work after a brain haemorrhage in 2010 which left him in hospital for a month and laid up at home for another three months.

But he has since made a complete recovery and said the incident had transformed his outlook on life.

Pete said: ‘Before it happened I was totally unhealthy – a 40-a-day smoker.

‘Now I live to give something back and also encourage other people to get out there because you never know what’s around the corner. I’m healthier now than I’ve ever been.’

Pete, a caretaker at the Salvation Army Centre in Southsea, said he had also started a cycling group through Facebook called Social Cycling Buddies, which has more than 190 ‘likes’.

He said: ‘I’ve manage to get quite a few people out on their bikes with that.’

Lesley Clayton, community fundraiser at the Rowans, said: ‘We are delighted that Peter has chosen to support the Rowans Hospice by taking on this incredible challenge.

‘We rely on people like Peter to fundraise to provide vital hospice care in Portsmouth and south-east Hampshire.

‘We would like to wish Peter every success with his cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats.’

Donations to Pete’s fundraiser can be made online at justgiving.com/UKEND2END2016.

Readers can learn more about the bike ride by searching for ‘Petes UK End2end cycling challenge’ on Facebook.