THE company secretary of a North Yorkshire event services firm joined more than 450 cyclists to complete the gruelling 105km Big Bad Ride around the Yorkshire Wolds and bring the sponsorship amount he has raised for Ataxia UK over the past six years to more than £5,000.

Keith Hemmings, Harrogate-based Joe Manby Limited, also helped the total raised by the ride to break the £1 million barrier.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the first Big Bad Bike Ride, a sponsored cycle event held to raise funds for Ataxia UK. The charity supports research into potential cures for Friedreich’s Ataxia, a genetic degenerative neurological disorder.

This year’s ride has already raised at least a further £90,000 for the charity, taking the total raised since the first ride in 1991 to more than £1 million.

The bike ride was set up by York businessman Graham Kennedy after discovering that two of his children suffered from the genetic disease, for which there is currently no treatment or cure.

Mr Hemmings said: “It was tough - but it isn’t called the Big Bad Bike Ride for nothing.

“There’s always a huge sense of satisfaction and achievement at the end of the ride, but this year was even more special because reaching the £1 million represents such a massive triumph for Graham, his team and all participating riders over the past 16 rides.”