THREE friends from Abertillery raised nearly £3,000 for a premature baby charity after cycling a gruelling 300 miles from London to Paris.

John Smale, 26, and Mark Bradbury, 24, both from Abertillery, and Adam Connolly, 24, from Shropshire, set off on the three-day sponsored cycle ride on September 26.

The group, known locally as the Abertillery Bliss Boys, started their journey at the London Eye and travelled through English and French countryside, before finishing at the Eiffel Tower, Paris on September 29.

Money raised from the cycle will go to BLISS, a special care baby charity, which provides support and care to premature and sick babies across the UK.

The boys were inspired to help the charity when Mr Smale’s daughter Isobel was born two weeks prematurely, weighing just 5lbs 6oz.

Isobel was born at Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, and although she was allowed home a week later, she had to return to the hospital’s special baby care ward, funded by BLISS, to receive treatment for jaundice.

After a four-night stay on the ward, Isobel was allowed home and is now fit and well.

Mr Smale said the trip was the hardest thing he had ever done.

He said: “The first day took a lot out of the lads and worse was to come on the second day. All three of us were really starting to feel the burn and it was taking all our strength and determination as night fell where we still had miles left to go.

“After the second day all of our legs had started to really hurt but we stayed together and worked as a team.”

But Mr Smale said all the sweat, punctures and blisters were forgotten as they reached the finish line and realisation of what they had achieved began to sink in.

Mr Smale said: “On the plane home the captain announced what we had accomplished. We must have been approached by everyone on the plane who wanted to talk to us having themselves needed BLISS at sometime or known someone who needed the support of the charity.

“That made it all worthwhile and I hope we have raised the awareness of BLISS to a greater level so more people can carry on giving and supporting this great cause”.

The group have currently raised nearly £3,000. If you would like to donate money to the group visitÊ www.justgiving.com/Abertillery_Bliss_Boys or contact John Smale on 07590061451.

THEIR ROUTE

  • DAY ONE: London Eye to Dover. Dover to Calais
  • DAY TWO: Calais to Abbeville
  • DAY THREE: Abbeville to Beauvais
  • DAYE FOUR: Beauvais to the Eiffel Tower