A WHITEHILL pensioner says he is prepared to “put on my Lycra” to tackle a charity bike ride to Yorkshire to raise money for research into a disease which affects children and for which there is no known cure.

David Pennell, 73, said: “My ride is in aid of Friedreich’s Ataxia which is a very debilitating neurological disease that affects 10,000 children a year in the UK and is not usually discovered until a child is six or seven.

“And then by the time they are 12 or 13 they in a wheelchair.

“There is currently no cure so money raised is to pay for research to isolate the gene.”

The charity ride, he said started in 1991 and the organiser, who has four children two of whom are in wheelchairs due to Ataxia, set himself a £1m target.

“This he will achieve this year as he is up to £960,000 after the last ride in 2014. It is dubbed ‘The million pound ride’.

“My personal target is £2,000 and I am now above £1,200 but need more sponsors.”

To see more about David’s ride, visit bigbadbikeride.com. To donate, visit justgiving.com/david-pennell-pen5862-bbbr2016.