A TEENAGER diagnosed with a brain tumour has raised more than £27,000 for charity after cycling the length of the country in just five days.

Sam Stourton cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats last September to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity.

Mr Stourton set out on the challenge after being diagnosed with a glioma brain tumour in November 2017.

He said: “My tumour has triggered epilepsy and all-round annoyance, so I decided to try and raise as much money as possible to fund research into how our immune systems can be primed to attack tumour cells, and how our genes are linked to tumour development.”

Mr Stourton, 19, completing the 874-mile challenge in just five days, averaging around 200 miles each day.

He said: “I’d always been fit because of my love for rowing so the cycle challenge sprang to mind. It’s a popular challenge and I knew other people that had done it, but I wanted to achieve it in the fastest possible time I could.

“It ended up being about 14 hours of cycling for five days in a row.”

Mr Stourton, from Marnhull, said the toughest part of the challenge was on day four when he was cycling along the A9 through Scotland in heavy rain.

He said: “I remember sitting in the back of the support van with my dad and thinking I just didn’t want to get back on the bike again in the rain. We were still a good fifty miles out, it just felt like a mountain to go.

“But then on the last day, I remember nearing the finish and getting loads of truckers to honk their horns.Of course I’m in the charity colours and branding and it just felt great at that moment.”

Jen Boilestad, Community Fundraising Manager at The Brain Tumour Charity said: “A huge thank you to Sam for his amazing efforts. 200 miles a day is some feat, so massive respect to him for completing this.

“Sam’s fundraising could provide 105 days of research in brain tumour, ultimately bringing us 105 days closer to finding a cure.

“That simply wouldn’t be possible without his achievements, so he should be incredibly proud of what he has achieved.”

“We receive no government funding and rely 100% on voluntary donations and gifts in wills. It’s only through the efforts of our fantastic fundraisers such as Sam, that we can bring hope to the thousands of people who are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year.

“We are incredibly grateful to Sam and all his family and friends. Together we will beat brain tumours.”