A SHERIFF Hutton man has swapped horses for a bike to raise thousands of pounds for a life-saving charity.

Jack Jordan collected more than £2,500 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance by cycling from Land’s End to John O’ Groats in five days - a route which normally takes up to 14 days.

The 26-year-old usually exercises horses for his job, but took up cycling during the coronavirus pandemic.

“My boss’s dad lent me his road bike and I decided to pedal to the Lake District, which was a difficult 117 miles,” said Jack.

“When I returned, I thought that I’m 26, young and fit and that I wanted to do something to raise funds for an important cause.

“I told a few people that I was aiming to cycle from Land’s End to John O’ Groats in five days and I had quite a few doubters. That lit a fire in me to complete it.”

Jack cycled an impressive 173 miles a day supported by his girlfriend Cara Richardson, who travelled alongside Jack and stopped every 40 miles to provide a familiar face and sandwiches.

Cara’s brother, Rafi, supplied Jack with a bike for the challenge from his business Ra Bikes.

“It was a mental hurdle,” said Jack. “I set off at 5.30am and then when it got to 1pm it would dawn on me that I would still be cycling at 9pm. It was 13 hours on a bike a day.”

When asked how he feels about completing the challenge, he said: “It’s a money-can’t-buy experience - money can’t make you pedal from the bottom of England to the top of Scotland.

“I’m glad I was able to raise funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

“Every time I see the helicopter in the sky, it will remind me of what I have achieved.”

Kevin Hutchinson, East Yorkshire community fundraiser for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We would like to congratulate Jack on completing such a challenging cycle ride and thank him for supporting the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and raising an incredible £2,500 for the charity.”

To donate, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/jack-jordan4