Keeping our Ric's legacy alive with Paris cycle

John Farden at the Eiffel Tower in Paris having cycled 300 miles in memory of his son in law Ric Clarke

John Farnden, 62, estimates he will raise around £2,000 for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation in memory of father-of-two Ric.

The 35-year-old died at the end of last year after he was  diagnosed with incurable cancer. He had written a column for the Evening Post detailing his battle with cancer and his determination to hang on to his sense of humour and carry on raising cash for charity.

John, of Fulwood, set off from London last week for an epic 300-mile ride to Paris.

Setting off on Wednesday, he and a group of around 60 others arrived at the Eiffel Tower on Saturday afternoon exhausted but elated.

John said: “I feel fine – it was tiring but all the way we had the most beautiful weather.

“Ninety miles was the furthest we covered in one day.

“It was challenging but I had trained properly for it. We had to keep well hydrated because it was about 30 degrees.

“We were cycling around seven or eight hours a day. I must have gone through six litres of water a day.”

As he approached the finish at the Eiffel Tower he was greeted by eight members of his family, including Ric’s widow Leonie and sons Sidney and Oscar.

John said: “It was emotional, but overall it was so good and a great way to remember Ric.”

Ric, from Penwortham, overcame stomach cancer last year, but was told in the summer he had incurable peritoneal cancer.

The keen runner raised money for causes including a charity for the blind, the intensive care unit at Royal Preston Hospital, and, after his diagnosis, Rosemere Cancer Foundation.