The engineer who was challenged to cycle 132 miles at last minute - and still made it to work on time.

But 36-year-old Lee Sanderson, from Longridge, raised £1,200 for Rosemere Cancer Foundation by taking up a challenge thrown down by his boss Daniel Hall at Inglewhite’s Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, where Lee is head of engineering.

The challenge was to leave work on the Friday evening to drive to Workington and to cycle from there across the country to Roker Beach in Sunderland 132 miles to the east and to be back at his desk on the Monday morning.

Lee said: “We were just talking at work about getting fit when Daniel said he would give me £500 if I could cycle coast-to-coast that weekend.

"Even though my bike had been in the garage for the last three to four years, I thought about it and decided to take him up on it for charity.”

Initially, Lee set out with two friends but on reaching Penrith after 50 miles in the saddle on the Saturday, they gave up to leave Lee with a further 82 miles to ride over the Pennines solo on the Sunday.

Lee said: “It was mind over matter, head down for the hardest challenge I have ever taken on.

"It was only the generosity of the people who had donated that kept me going.”

Setting out at 7:30 am, he arrived at Roker Beach at 9:05 pm, where one of his original cycling companions met him to drive him back to Workington to collect his van.

Lee eventually got home at 12.30am on Monday – and still made it to work on time.

Daniel Hall from Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses said: “We’re really proud of what Lee has achieved with his cycle - and he stuck to his promise of arriving at work on time, too!

"Our own annual charity event, the Blacksticks Blue 10K Road Race, takes place in May and lots of our staff take part in that which we absolutely love to see.”

Rosemere Cancer Foundation works to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria being treated at Rosemere Cancer Centre.

For further information on its work, including how to make a donation, visit www.rosemere.org.uk

You can donate to at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lee-sanderson6