TWO doctors have set off on an epic cycling journey to raise money for charity.

James Bennett and Suleika Rohd-Thomsen were due to fly out to Nepal and volunteer in a hospital earlier this month, but when the earthquakes struck, their trip was cancelled as thousands were left dead or injured.

The couple were determined to do something to help the stricken region though, and decided to attempt to cycle 3,200km from York to Sicily in 40 days – including a trans-alpine climb.

James, 28, said: “We have family in Denmark and we were visiting when the earthquakes happened. We had time off work and wanted to do something constructive with it. We looked at a map and found a straight line down from York.

“We have given ourselves 32 days to get there, but the whole thing will take 40 days.”

James and Suleika, 27, are both doctors, and hope to gain positions at York Hospital this year.

The couple set off from York on Thursday, and hope to raise £3,000 for independent medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières, which has been operating in Nepal since the first earthquake.

James said: “I’ve never done anything quite like this before. I’ve done coast to coast trips in France, and similar stuff in the UK, but Suleika has never done anything like this.

“We’re both looking forward to it though. Suleika says she’s having nightmares and not sleeping, but it’s a healthy mix of excitement and anxiety.”

To follow James and Suleika, search @BurningThighs on Twitter and Facebook, or to donate go to justgiving.com/jamesandleiki