A FORMER Newport marine completed the CARTEN100 cycle challenge for the third year in a row on Saturday.

Steven Thomas, 43, who suffered life-changing injuries while in Thailand in 2011, was part of the Morrello Marvels team that set off on a 100-mile cycle to Tenby from Cardiff at 7.30am.

Mr Thomas, a father-of-two, rode a tandem with an able bodied pilot and support cyclist. Speaking after the event, he said he hopes to do more cycle challenges with the Marvels in the future.

He said: “All the training we have put in over the last three years came to fruition.

“There were times when it would have been easy to say that’s enough and I could have got off the bike and into a support vehicle but we all wanted to complete the course and we did.

“Riding into Tenby town centre with the crowds cheering us on and crossing the finish line was amazing.”

Another member of the team was Ieuan Coombes, 23, who suffers with cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair.

Mr Coombes, who rode a hand-bike for the event, said: “The sense of achievement when crossing the finishing line made it all worthwhile as well as the knowledge that we were doing it to raise money for fantastic causes.”