ATAG Heating managing director Phil Bell has successfully completed a demanding unsupported 720-mile bike ride down through France on behalf of the British Heart Foundation and raised more than £4000 for the charity.
Bell took 10 days to complete the solo ride, from the northern French channel port of Caen, through France along the Canal Lateral and Canal du Midi to the Mediterranean town of Narbonne La Plage.
During the ride Phil had to combat strong winds, torrential rains and flooding as he journeyed to the south.
'Several days of strong head winds and torrential rain made some of the stages quite tough,' said Phil, an experienced cyclist and boss of Chichester-based boiler distributor, Atag Heating,
'I now realise I was on the tail end of a major weather depression sitting over France, which flooded parts of south east France.'
He now returns to the no less gruelling business of running his company, but plans future efforts on behalf of the British Heart Foundation.
The BHF is something Bell can relate to, having experienced heart problems and benefited considerably from the support of the Foundation.
Bell would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made a donation. Any person or organisation wishing to support the British Heart Foundation can still send donations through the following web site: www.justgiving.com/philip-bell