A CYCLING enthusiast has raised almost £2,000 by getting on his bike to ride to Paris – all because of a friendly pub bet.

Chris Green, 49, from Deangarden Rise, High Wycombe, and his best friend's son Matthew Shepherd, 35, is embarking on the trip to raise funds for the Action Medical Research charity.

But Mr Green, who only took up cycling last year, was spurred on to carry out the trek after a friend bet him that he could not complete the 300 mile challenge.

He said: “I started riding about a year ago and I was having a conversation with a friend in the King George V pub, we were having a laugh about cycling, and he bet me that I couldn't do this.

“So I looked on the internet to find a suitable charity and signed up. I absolutely love cycling, I've not been doing it long but now I cycle everywhere so France was fine.”