A BLACKWOOD man and his girlfriend raised £1,200 for the Wales Air Ambulance by travelling 100 miles on a tandem bicycle.

Rhodri Mortimer and Lizzie Townsend, of Bridgend, joined 20,000 cyclists in the Prudential Ride London to Surrey 100 challenge on Sunday, August 10 to raise funds.

Miss Townsend said: “There was such a buzz about the whole day. People cheered when they saw our tandem and wished us luck.

“I’m still trying to get used to sitting still and not cycling up and down the hills of Surrey and past the sights of London

“We felt elated that we’d worked so hard. We enjoyed every minute of it and have been able to raise over £1,000 for such an important charity."

As a paramedic, Miss Townsend had seen first-hand the difference that the service makes.

She added: "I have worked in emergency care for six years, and before I moved to London, I had the assistance of Wales Air Ambulance crew on several occasions.

“Each time, they had helped the patient in ways I would not have been able to. They offer a time-saving solution to getting the help they needed.

"I specifically remember an accident with a girl who had a minor head injury and had knocked out both her front teeth after falling off her bike.

“We were able to treat her and offer assistance to get her to A&E, but the journey by road would have taken an hour and a half. Wales Air Ambulance took her there in seven minutes.

“Their helicopters and crew are crucial and I hope with our fundraising that they can continue.”

Wales Air Ambulance relies on donations to fund their three helicopters which cost more than £6 million a year.

To make a donation visit justgiving.com/Lizzie-Townsend/