A DAD said he was thrilled to have completed an 100-mile cycle ride to support a young boy in his son’s class who is fighting leukaemia.

Dan Martyr took part in Velo Birmingham and Midlands and raised around £1,200 for Cure Leukaemia in support of 5-year-old Oscar Saxelby-Lee who has an aggressive form of the cancer.

Also taking part in the closed-roads ride were friends Stuart Hazlewood, from Stockwood near Inkberrow, and Les Robertshaw, from Droitwich, who raised £1,040 for NSPCC.

Mr Martyr, of St John’s, Worcester said: “It was fantastic, there was lots of support from people and there were lots of other cyclists. It was really enjoyable.”

“I’m really pleased to have done it. I have been told by Cure Leukaemia they get around 20 percent of their donations after the event. The money is important but also that people are aware of Cure Leukaemia and that there are people fund raising. This is the start of more fund raising events to come. I will be keen to do some more. I want to do Velo again.”

Oscar is currently undergoing intensive chemotherapy, and the campaign to find him a stem cell donor – entitled Hand in Hand for Oscar – saw thousands of people queueing at registration events in Worcester and further afield.

Mr Martyr, 43, whose son Laurie is in Oscar’s class at Pitmaston Primary School said: “It has been fantastic. The DKMS events were extraordinary. That Sunday with people waiting in the rain to go and donate was just fantastic. ”

“There is still lots more we can do. It was fantastic that Oscar was well enough to go to school recently and surprise them all. We will keep watching out for him and try to raise awareness.”

The cycle ride takes around 17,000 riders across Birmingham and the Midlands and Mr Robertshaw said it took him seven hours to complete the ride.

He added: "It was brilliant, people lining the roads were full of encouragement and support. The NSPCC was a good charity to do it for.”

To support the riders, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/dan-martyr1 or justgiving.com/Les-Robertshaw