MICHAEL Hughes is a man with a mission.

The 49-year-old from Acomb has pedalled the equivalent of York to New York and halfway back this year in aid of Action Medical Research (AMR), and hopes to complete his 5,000-mile cycling challenge by the end of December.

The final leg of his journey will be a major cause for celebration for the estate agent who has undertaken the challenge while holding down a full-time job at Sidney Phillips in York.

His charity efforts, including numerous other gruelling rides, have spanned three years, raising more than £10,000 for AMR.

He decided to support the children’s charity which is dedicated to improving the health of babies and children in the UK following the death of a friend’s sister from meningitis in 2010.

Mr Hughes who has already handed over £10,106 to Action Medical Research is urging more people to support the cause and boost his final total.

He said: “There is still time to give and every penny can make a difference to the lives of sick children.

“Your sponsorship will help support research into finding vaccines for the strains of meningitis that cause death and permanant damage, reduce premature birth, prevent pregnancy complications that threaten babies’ lives, and find the best ways to care for sick and vulnerable babies.”

His first charity bid was a 100km ride in York in August 2010, raising £300, after he learned AMR was funding research into the meningitis B.

Spurred on, he undertook the London to Paris AMR ride in 2011.

“I augmented this ride to include York to Paris, The Brecon 100 and a repeat of the York 100. This time the 100s would be miles and would give me a target to complete 1,000km in 28 days, and in 2011 I raised £3,500.”

During 2012 he raised another £3,300, including the Etape Alpine challenge involving 114km of Alpine cycling over 3,500m of climbing including the Tour De France routes of Col du Telegraph, Col du Galibier, and finishing at the top of the Alpe D’huez.

He then challenged himself to raise £3,200 during 2013, bringing his three-year fundraising total to more than £10,000.

“I aimed to cycle 5,000 miles in the year. This would include the historic 205km L’eroica ride in Italy in October.

“This was an historic ride for cycles built before 1987. I spent the winter of 2012/2013 rebuilding a 1954 F.H. Carpenter cycle, tested it on a ride from London to Paris and took part in L’eroica on October 6.”

To sponsor Mr Hughes, visit action.org.uk/sponsor/mjdh