Leeds doctor, 61, marks £10,000 fundraising milestone after cycling coast-to-coast across the USA

Dr Mike Bosomworth, from Bardsey, has been hard at work collecting donations since his mammoth coast-to-coast ride from New York to San Francisco finished on May 27.

Thanks to a generous £2,500 donation from the Bingley Arms, in Bardsey, Mike is hoping he can hand over around £15,000 to the Yorkshire Brain Research Centre at Leeds St James’s Hospital.

Mike, a lead clinician in blood sciences at Leeds General Infirmary, had been due to take on the bike ride last year but was forced to postpone it after being knocked off his bike, breaking three vertebrae and six ribs, last June.

The 61-year-old father-of-three said: “I consider myself very lucky to have been able to complete what will probably be my challenge of lifetime and I am very grateful for the help and support I received from family, friends, colleagues in Leeds Teaching Hospitals and of course from my loyal followers on Facebook.”

After thanking YEP readers for their support, he added: “With luck I may now even reach £15,000.”

Mike, who averaged more than 80 miles a day during the challenge, was inspired to complete the feat by the double milestones of turning 60 and working for the NHS for 40 years.

During the solo ride he was joined by family and friends along the way and travelled through nine states, four time zones and two tornado warnings.

Mike has already cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats, completed parachute jumps and climbed Kilimanjaro; all for charity.

To donate visit virginmoneygiving.com/mikebosomworth.