A POSTMAN from Dunley will be delivering more than £4,000 to charity after completing a bike ride between London and Paris.

David Baylis, 53, joined a team of staff from Royal Mail to help raise money for the company's chosen charity, Prostate Cancer UK.

The distance the team covered, over three days, equalled more than 230 miles.

Setting off from Twickenham, they moved on to Portsmouth before crossing over to Caen to finish their first day.

The group then passed through the French hamlets, spent the second night in the town of Evreux and then finished at the Champs-Elysees in Paris under the Arc de Triomphe.

Mr Baylis said his wife challenged him to take part in the event and, having suffered from arthritis in his knees but recently lost three stone in weight, was the "fittest I have ever been".

He said: “I took up cycling because of this challenge and started training at the end of January, which was hard in such terrible weather.

“I am 53 and probably the fittest I have ever been in my life and I am not getting any younger.

After completing the cycle Mr Baylis was delighted with his first class fundraising efforts.

“I had a great time," he said.

"I made some great friends and enjoyed some great weather and I am sure everyone will appreciate the great work Prostate Cancer UK carry out.”

After originally aiming to raise £1,500, Royal Mail said it would match whatever amount each individual raised which left Mr Baylis’ fundraising total at £4,310.

Prostate Cancer UK fights to help more men survive the disease by funding research, raising awareness of it and providing men with information and services.

The disease kills one man every hour in the UK and the number of men with the disease is rising - it is already the most common cancer in men but is predicted to become the most prevalent of all cancers in Britain by 2030.