A Budleigh Salterton man is cycling the length of the country to raise funds for those hit by disasters in other countries.

Adam Jones, 24, of Moormead, is riding from John O’Groats to Land’s End, raising cash for the Disasters and Emergencies Committee.

The Bath Spa University graduate will wild camp as he travels down the country as part of his personal challenge.

He hopes people living locally will back his quest and sponsor his efforts.

The East Budleigh Football Club player said the aim of his challenge was to ‘mix up’ his life and make something of his year.

He said: “I’ve wanted to do this for a while now, but couldn’t find anyone else to do it with, so I thought I would go ahead and do it alone.

“It’s quite a daunting thought, cycling all that way by myself, but I enjoy my own company and a part of me thinks, the harder I find it, the more I’ll get out of it.

“Another challenge I’ve set myself is to camp the whole way down. This isn’t too difficult for me as I’ve done a lot of wild camping whilst I was travelling across Africa in my gap year.

“I don’t have a very exciting job, so I felt the need to mix things up and do something with my year.

“I’m quite a keen traveller, but have so far seen more of the world than I have of my own country. So this felt like an obvious opportunity to see some beautiful places and enjoy the outdoors for a few weeks.”

Adam, who took up cycling six months ago, said his decision to raise funds for those struck by disasters and emergencies was taken after visiting suffering countries during his earlier travels to Africa.

He said: “You can’t help but feel moved by the circumstances in which some of the people of that continent live.

“I spent time in East Africa and am appalled by the scenes caused by the famine they’re experiencing.

“It’s for this reason, and my personal experience and memories with the people it’s affecting, that I’m raising money for the Disasters and Emergencies Committee.

“I think the effort it is making to reduce the conditions facing East Africa at the moment are more than worthy of my time and effort.”

• Sponsor Adam through his JustGiving web page - http://www.justgiving.com/adam-jones-2011