AN 84-year-old retired accountant from Exmouth has so far clocked up more than 230,000 miles cycling.

AN 84-year-old retired accountant from Exmouth has so far clocked up more than 230,000 miles cycling.

Despite recently being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Noel Fogarty says he hopes to clock up another 20,000 miles before he calls it quits.

Noel, who has cycled 900 miles already this year in a bid to achieve his goal, said: “In 2008, the first year after my wife died, I cycled 6,000 miles, then around 3,000 the year after and 2,000 last year.”

“I have a target of 3,000 miles this year, which is 750 a quarter. If I get delayed, I’ll try to make it up.”

Noel started cycling when he was 10 growing up in Manchester. “By 1945, I’d gone on six tours by myself and visited every county in England and Wales.”

In his 20s, Noel also won the time trial championships for his club in Ealing two years in a row – his greatest feat, cycling 245 miles in 12 hours.

Motorcycling also featured more and more in Noel’s life and he embarked on several long-distance European trips.

“When I got married and had my daughter, the amount of cycling I did reduced. But I took opportunities to go out when I could,” he added.

“When my wife went into a nursing home, when I was in my late 70s, my cycling increased again and I was doing between 4,000 and 5,000 miles a year.”

He added: “I’ve never smoked, I don’t drink much alcohol, and I’ve always tried to eat fruit and veg.”