A man has raised hundreds of pounds for a cancer charity after getting on his bike and cycling 24 hours non-stop.

Neil Harrison, 31, of Thackley, resisted nodding off by munching countless supplies of bagels, gulping 12 litres of drink and slurping 50 sachets of energy gel to keep him on the right track.

The quantity surveyor out-raced other competitors when he took part in the Kona Sleepless In The Saddle Global Series at the weekend.

After 36 times round a six and a half mile circuit near Derbyshire,the mountain bike enthusiast whizzed first past the finishing line in his first 24-hour race event. He was two hours ahead of the rest of the pack in the solo men category. His efforts brought in cash for the Marie Curie Cancer Care Charity.

Until just over a year ago Neil was happy playing football but a desire for change encouraged him to hang up his boots and take to the road on two-wheels instead.

He got to hear about a cycling race team based from JD Cycles shop in Ilkley and was soon riding alongside them. Over the years, the team has adopted the Marie Curie charity and raised more than £200,000 for it.

"Usually we race as a team but this was a solo effort. After 24 hours, I was feeling a bit dizzy to say at the least. The only time I stopped pedalling was when I slowed down to grab a drink bottle."

The circuit in Tamworth took him through woods, over farm tracks and rocky routes.

"It was my first 24-hour race so it was fantastic to win. I even beat the current UK 24-hour champion. I've put it down to 80 per cent madness! Knowing I was in the lead kept me going," he added.

There are still three more parts to the Konar series to be raced in Austria, America and Canada.

"I'd love to be a part of it but unless someone stumps up the flight money to get me there, I'll have to sit it out," said Neil.

But he is determined to be at the Saab Salaman 24-hour mountain mayhem race in the Malvern hills next June raising more cash for Marie Curie.

"I just won't be able to resist it," he said, adding: "It might have been a solo effort, but I couldn't have done it without the support and patience of my wife Katie and our little girl Maisie."