A LEIGH man has vowed to cycle 10 miles every day in the new year to raise funds for a hospice that provided palliative care to his dying auntie.

Mark Harper, 49, says he is forever indebted to Wigan and Leigh Hospice for giving his aunt Christine 'back her dignity' when she was admitted with terminal breast cancer in 2012.

The Atherton resident died 36 hours later at the age of 63 and Mark is hoping to raise as much money as possible from his challenge to ride 3,650 miles in 2017, as well as to lose some weight.

Mark, who will cycle in the evening using both exercise bikes at Gym 28 in Boothstown and his own road bike during good weather, said: "It is a good way of me losing weight as well and I can’t think of anything better to channel my energy into than raising money for such a worthy cause.

“My aunt Christine had breast cancer for a number of years and she was in a bad way when thankfully she was admitted to the hospice.

"She was only there for 36 hours but it gave her back her dignity and helped the family so much.

“Straight away she was given pain relief and there was a massive difference.

"She was a lot more peaceful and the wonderful thing was we could be with her all the time, which meant so much to her friends and family.”

Mark originally decided that he wanted to raise money for the hospice when he was with Christine's husband Alan at the Bent and Bongs Beer Bash a few years ago.

He rode 63 miles in completing the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride for the hospice in 2014 but could not take part in 2015 or this year for health reasons.

Mark said: “I said to myself in 2017 'I am going to go big'.

“I decided I wanted to put a lot into something and I am not built for running these days so I am much better suited to cycling."

He is a regular gym user but has not ridden a bike since September having not sat on a saddle in more than 40 years prior to the 2014 ride. 

On New Year's Day Mark will begin his year of cycling by going a little further than 10 miles, cycling from his home in Leigh to the Hindley-based hospice and back again.

To sponsor Mark for his cycling challenge visit justgiving.com/Mark-Harper6.