Fearless great-grandad celebrates turning 90 - with 460-mile charity bike ride

22 June 2024 , 20:45

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Tony Newton is riding from Chorley, Lancashire, to the Isle of Skye in Scotland

A great-grandad is celebrating his 90th birthday with a 460-mile charity bike ride.

Tony Newton is riding from Chorley, Lancashire, to the Isle of Skye in Scotland. And he has already surpassed his £7,500 fundraising target for a youth centre in his home town. Tony set off on Monday with other family members and aims to finish by June 28.

Granddaughter Hannah Wotherspoon said: “He’s just so inspirational for me and I think it’s great to get the word out there that you can still do these things at 90. There’s no age limit – you can still crack on and cycle and be really healthy.”'

Mr Newton has been an avid cyclist since riding to school at the age of five and says he has no intention of slowing down. He added: “That’s why I’m standing here at 90, it is largely due to cycling.” In the last 15 years, he has done solo treks covering hundreds of miles a year, including 348 miles to Inverness in 2023.

Janine Blythe, of Inspire Chorley Youth Zone, said: “When you get a 90-year-old bloke cycling up to Scotland just to raise money for young people in his town to get the support that they need, it just doesn’t get much better than that.”

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