Cyclists complete epic challenge

Jon Lee and Micheil Gordon have completed a 17,000km ride from Newbury to Hong Kong

TWO keen cyclists have arrived safely in Hong Kong after an epic 17,000km ride from Newbury.

Jon Lee and Micheil Gordon, who both graduated from the University of Brighton with environmental science degrees in July 2009, set off from Newbury in March with the aim of raising money for WaterAid, a non-governmental organisation that aims to improve lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest communities.

The pair were sponsored £10,000 by chemical company LANXESS, which has its UK headquarters in Hambridge Lane, Newbury, and they collected a total of about €20,400 during their journey, which took them to several countries in Europe and Asia, prior to their arrival in Hong Kong, where they were met by friends, family and LANXESS employees.

Mr Lee said: “The trip itself has been mad. I have been lucky enough to meet such a huge number of incredible people from completely different backgrounds and experience ways of living far from what I have ever seen or imagined before.”

He added that physically, the trip had been very demanding, although he said he was now looking forward to arriving home and eating like never before.

The pair will be welcomed home at St Nicolas School in Newbury on Thursday, December 1.